Shirley Temple

    In the late 80's, I was working for Borders Book Store(so sad that they are now bankrupt).  Shirley Temple Black visited our store in Novi on a book tour for her autobiography, Child Star.  I would say that most of the employees were in their 20's and quite serious about our literature and maybe a little uppity about "popular" stuff.  I cringe admitting that but, oh well.  I loved Shirley Temple too! She would be signing her books and I would be there as part of the security team.

     I never expected how it went down.  People were lined up for hours throughout the store. She spoke to each and every person and signed their books and could not have been more gracious.  As security, we had to constantly tell people to back up and not crowd Shirley. This was a first hand view of a "star struck" public. Everyone was so excited! It was the biggest event we'd ever have while I worked there.

     The day after her signing, I was working at the information desk when an elderly gentleman approached.  He asked if Shirley Temple had been there and he was so disappointed to know he had missed her.  

He said something like "You know, we were so poor , we didn't have anything and she just danced across the stage and lifted our spirits and made us forget...". It was so heartfelt and I've remembered what he said for 20 some years.

    Our Shirley:

    Before all this dealership business came up, I'd been talking to Keith about getting a dog.  He was not for it and I gave many arguments like the kids should have the experience of having a puppy and so on and so forth, you know... He finally came around grudgingly and we decided on a cockapoo(cocker spaniel/poodle).  We made a visit to a breeder and reserved a newborn puppy that would be ready to join us in July.

    When the news came that GM was closing our dealership, I said to Keith "Let's not get the dog".  It just seemed with all the "unknowns", adding the expense of a dog wouldn't be a good idea.  The economy was so bad and Michael was in college and I just envisioned all kinds of end-times scenarios.  Keith said emphatically "No, we are getting the dog".  It would be something positive for all of us to focus on.

     It was the best decision we ever made. That little dog, Louie danced across our lives and has given us so much joy.  We took all our emotions and loved this little puppy, all four of us.  I never knew that I could love a little dog so much.  One benefit, for me personally, was getting out and walking with him.  I'm the kind of person who will isolate when hurt.  It would have been so easy to spend the summer holed up in the house, licking my wounds. 

    Louie forced me out into the neighborhood.  It had made me sad to think that neighbors might avoid us because they felt badly and didn't know what to say.  So, this was an opportunity to see my neighbors and be able to talk about the PUPPY and not about the awful thing that had happened. Yeah, that seems like avoiding the issue, but believe me, we had plenty of time to face what was going on.  The dog was a great distraction from our problem.

     Both the boys are gone now.  When we come home and Louie comes running to greet us - dancing, tail wagging and so happy to see us, it is a comfort I can't say enough about. It gives a certain life to the house to have a pet - one of life's blessings.