The Bench

Dad and Mom loved the Wayne County Fair.

Dad would take his wagon which housed all of his gas powered engines and set it up for display, then stick close to it so he could fire them up and answer questions of anyone who passed by.  He also was very protective so part of his constant attendance was to keep an eye on his valuable antiques.

Mom liked to sit in the "free seats" in the Grandstand and would plant herself in a certain one, save the next one for Dad, and sit there all day, every day, so she could enjoy whatever events were on the track, whether they be horse pulls, harness races, high school band competitions, or one of the many concerts through the week. Through her sitting in the grandstand, they made several friends who did the same.  Enjoyed the events of the fair while not paying higher prices for tickets.

At the end of Fair Week, both would be exhausted.  Dad's weariness was understandable.  He logged many steps around the fairgrounds during the week, back and forth to check on his engines, in and out of buildings he enjoyed visiting, and taking Mom's favorite foods to her because once she was in her seat, she wouldn't leave!  Mom's exhaustion came from...well....you know, it IS hard work to sit in the grandstand for hours on end, saving two seats for all the events!  It really is!

One year Dad took us to the fairgrounds to show us something.  It wasn't fair time, but he drove directly to one of the exhibit halls, left the driver's seat and asked us to join him in front of the building.  There it was.  A bench.  It had been engraved with the words "Norm and Marge Henderson" and then "Rest Thyself" in the upper right hand corner.   He had purchased a bench in their honor, so that a part of them would always remain at the fairgrounds.  The motto was one that he had burned into the bench he made and had placed at the top of the hill in the backyard at their house.  My favorite picture of him and Megan and Hilary is when they all three were sitting on that bench with Megan next to Grandpa Norm and Grandpa Norm holding Hilary on his lap.  All of them are smiling and look so happy.  Lots of memories come flooding back with that picture.

Fast forward to September 2010.  Greta and I decide we want to honor Dad's memory and go to the Wayne County Fair and enjoy it just like he did.  We did, and we have done just that every year expect the one when unexpected repeat knee replacement surgery required me to stay at home. In the six years we have attended the fair, we have never seen the bench.  We know that it must be there, but there are SO many benches, probably hundreds of them, all engraved with names, scattered over the entire fairgrounds.  Each time we see a bench, we check for the names, but often people sitting on them obscure the identification process.  Usually we walk out at the end of the day, once again defeated in our quest to find The Bench.

This year Gary and I went to the fair on Monday and Tuesday since Alex was married the day the fair opened.  As we were in the commercial building checking out some exhibits there, my phone dinged with a text message.  Melanie!  Mom's neighbor!  She sent me a picture of a bench with the message that she didn't know Mom and Dad had a bench!  It was in kiddie land and the girls had nearly sat on it when she read the names and realized that these people were/had been their neighbors!

Later Gary and I walked over to Kiddie Land and searched.  Each time we saw The Bench, someone was sitting on it.  Rather than ask them to move, we decided to return the next morning when it was quieter and snap a picture. 



There it was.  Norm and Marge Henderson.  Rest Thyself.  And I did.

No, I did not cry.  Instead I was pleased that a little part of Mom and Dad was still at the fair each and every year.  I was so happy that Melanie found it- for two reasons.  One is that she knew Mom and it was neat that she found their bench.  The other is that I didn't have to continue the search--because I would have been walking everywhere on that fairgrounds this time until I found it!!

The other cool thing that happened was this.  On Thursday my phone dinged again with another text message.  It was another picture of The Bench with the message "Mark and I took the girls to the fair today and found this."  The message was from Kylie.  She and Mark bought Mom and Dad's house at the auction on the 24th.

Now how cool is that?  It is a sign. It is meant to be.  And their memory will live on.