Blog 359 – 07.31.2016

Excerpt from the book about my daughter Emily Elaine White called The Little Girl Who Sang Her Song To Anyone Who Came Along

Episode 31
In 1982 I had the opportunity to travel to Edmonton, Alberta, Canada for two different one week long inspection trips. Emily was at that time two years old almost three and the conservative church we were attending taught against going to the movies. As a boy going to the movies was a big deal. Before my Uncle Richard drowned and our family started attending church regularly we probably went to the movies, drive-ins and walk ins, more than we went to church. It was like a religious experience only far more entertaining than most church services I ever attended. Before I learned to love reading books the stories I saw and heard at movies were my frame of reference and my education probably more than anything I learned at home or school with the possible exception of television. I was as many youngsters of my generation addicted to TV.
As an adult I had read the book E.T. The Extraterrestrial and when I saw it was playing in Edmonton I went to see it one evening after work. My manager had gone with me on that trip and so after we went out to dinner I borrowed his rental car and drove across town to where E.T. was playing to see it. It was a fascinating movie and I remember noticing that Elliot used Reese’s Pieces to attract E.T. Instead of M & Ms as in the book. I later read that the M & M Mars Company had refused to allow Stephen Spielberg permission to use M & Ms in the movie so he he asked the makers of Reese’s Pieces and they said “Sure.” What a great business move, I am sure someone got a big bonus for making that decision for Reese’s Pieces sales rocketed after the movie’s release and today companies pay movie makers big bucks for product placement in their movies.
At the movie I had a Canadian version of M & Ms. They were a sweeter milk chocolate and the colors of the candy shells were pastels. Over the years I have come to enjoy all the little differences in people and things, the marvelous variety. Often we become too set in our own ways, opinions, and preferences to truly appreciate all the colors of the rainbow that is life. Emily from day one of her adventure in Time and Space helped open my eyes to all of the wonderful possibilities.
I missed my family too much to really enjoy traveling at that time in my life. But I knew someday when my children were grown and busy with their own lives that the road would call again and I would answer, yes. As a boy Ricky Nelson’s song, Travelin’ Man, captured my imagination:
I’m a Travelin’ man
Made a lot of stops
All over the world
And in every port
I own the heart
Of at least one lovely girl.
Well, I have traveled quite a bit and lived and loved my share of girls but it was a little girl, not quite three, that made me glad when my trip to the great frozen north was over. I brought gifts for Sandra, the boys, and Emily. Her gift was a stuffed E.T. Doll. In her lost Little book there was a picture of her in a white flannel night shirt with tiny red polka dots hugging her brown big eyed E.T. Every time I see the movie I think of Em and how she loved that little critter from another world.

Your friend and fellow traveler,

David White