Friends in Michigan

 I met Andy Horujko on the ferry boat
which took me from Manitowoc, WI, to Ludington, MI.

Andy is in his 80s but still chops wood most every morning.
He is one of those real characters you meet from time to time.

Andy has two claims to fame.
He had worked as an aeronautical engineer with one of the Wright brothers.
He also had walked a large part of Latin America when he was my age - in his 50s.

So, we had a few things to talk about.
He most wanted to impress me that I was carrying to much weight in my backpack.
He showed me his small knapsack
in which he was carrying the books he had bought in Manitowoc.
I agreed with him more or less.

Andy was also a bit of philosopher and skeptic.
So, we had a few more things to talk about
when we got off the boat and proceeded to a pub
where Andy treated me to fish and chips.

Thanks, Andy.

This mother and daughter spied me on the road
as I was nearing the middle of the state.

At first, Kathleen, the daughter, pulled over and asked me
quickly what I was doing, then she pushed a 20-dollar bill
into my hand and wished me well.

Apparently, she/they had second thoughts
and wanted to learn more.
So, they stopped up the road a way
until I could meet them at a suitable resting spot.

After visiting for a while,
we exchanged photo ops,
and we continued on our ways.

Notice the small flag flying from their vehicle.

 One of my favorite stops on the whole trip was
at the Maple Leaf Motel in Davison, Michigan.

At the end of a long day,
I passed through Davison hoping to find a cozy spot
- not on the ground -
to rest my weary body.

According to sources in Davison,
the options were few.
So, I started back down the road late in the afternoon.
I had walked less than a mile when I discovered,
almost like Columbus,
the Maple Leaf Motel owned by Joe and Josephine Nazarko.

What I discovered was a couple
who took people in more as friends than customers.
As you can see, I was invited in for snacks with
Natalie, Paula, Josephine and Jeff.

When I left 2 days later,
my pack was stuffed with sandwiches and other goodies.

What a surprise when Jodi Sargent
yelled at me from her house,
then approached me on the road,
and asked to pray for me,
which she did.

It was a long and seemingly powerful one
calling for my protection on the trip.
I think it worked.

Thereafter, Jodi invited me for a morning snack
and told me how she had not been able to do
her regular business that day because of her son being ill.
But, while she was caring for him,
she realized that she had stayed home for another purpose
and that was the Lord had her waiting for me to pass by.

We had a long conversation and covered a lot of
territory on her porch.

Thanks for waving the flag and praying the prayer.

Keep the faith, Jodi.

Ah, well.

Here is the best smile of the trip
from Abea.
(Want to guess her ancestry?)

And, I didn't even get her last name.

Abea saw me trudging into Imlay City
late one afternoon and wanted to know my story
and wanted to help me up the road, or feed me, or some such.

Unfortunately, her husband - via the telephone - thought otherwise.
Actually, maybe it was fortunate for me after all.

Nonetheless, Abea and I had a great visit of a half hour or so.
Then, she drove me up the road just a couple miles
to my destination for the evening.

 

My destination was the M-53 Motel
where I met the Gandhi family.

I always wanted to meet Gandhi.
It shows that a fella gets what he wants.

My hosts, Ila and Depesh and their children,
happily shared some chai with me in the morning
and joined in the red, white and blue craze
before I set off on the road toward Canada.


On to Canada - Ontario


Return to Dr. Bob's Walk