This is probably just for me, but I have to make note somewhere about seeing Wayne Ziebarth tonight. He is a phenomenal guy - a degree from Columbia University, fought in two major wars, served in the Nebraska legislature, and ran for Congress, losing narrowly to Virginia Smith. All nice. In about 1984, I was a young, very naive, very angry Director of Agriculture in Nebraska, picking fights regularly with the power structure on behalf of rural people I thought were being abused. I was giving a speech at a banquet in south central Nebraska and took the opportunity to stick it to the press over some issue where I thought they were giving the advantage to the big money folks who were kicking people off the land. Well, the four-eyed, tweed coated editor of the Hastings paper was there and really got twisted with me. I was not much in a mood to back down in those days (crap, I guess it hasnt changed!) and we were going from toe to toe to nose to nose. Wayne stepped in and probably kept me from a career ending disaster. So, here we are at this banquet tonight where Wayne is being inducted as a member into the Nebraska Hall of Ag Achievement. His health is not good, and after his induction he was making his way, with assistance, to the back of the hall. As he came by me, I reached out to shake his hand. He saw me, dropped his cane, shoved my hand aside, and fell on me in an embrace I will carry to my grave. My God Ive missed you! he said. Please do your best! I promise I will.
Posted on: Sat, 29 Mar 2014 04:01:24 +0000
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