Old Milt - follow
up
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The Old Milt story had been
posted for over a
year when email came from Jamie Grime. He and his mother were
going through old passed on family photos and intrigued by several of a
family friend of his grandparents, Jamie did a Google search of
the name on the back of one of the photos with the 3rd hit being my
story of Old Milt which he quickly sensed the likely character in my
story.
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The aging Harley rider wearing a
yachters cap, a picture of
children with a vintage airplane in the background, and a
pictured
business card denoting Anderson's Generator & Motor
Service
were convincing that he had stumbled onto additional information about
the man in the pictures who his mother identified as friends of her
parents.
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The boy in the pic may be
Young Milt
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I believe the picture
on the business card
is of Young Milt
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Jamie emailed me to validate that
the man in my story was in fact from Harrisville, Mi. and a few days
later called and we talked about what I knew about Old Milt
which,
wasn't much more than the story suggested, that he had impressed
me in my youth. I asked about a picture for my story and Jamie
graciously mailed copies of what he had.
He recounted that Old Milt sold or
gave the old Harley to Young Milt at the time that helmet laws were
mandated.
This fit well with the similar declaration to me outlining giving up
his airplane when a license was required,
and his frustration with being dictated to.
However, it seems that
after some time passed and Young Milt hadn't ridden the Harley
much, Old
Milt requested or bought it back, gave into the helmet law and
continued riding several years.
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Conversation with my brother turned up
an additional
interesting insight.
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Perhaps
Old Milt had
come to grasp that sometimes it's futile
to fight those who dictate. He was a gregarious spirit and no
doubt enjoyed a spirit of independence, but evidently able also to let
reason play its part. I remember again his telling me about canceling
the order for the ultra-light airplane to keep the peace with his
bride.
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Generators,
motorcycles, steam engines, and airplanes all embrace
the natural laws of physics and mechanics, and we can reasonably
conclude that this man's spirit felt both comfortable and quickened
within
those realms.
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Here is Milt at the side of an old
steam locomotive, raising
the question, did Milt have a special relationship to the old engine?
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Human lives are fascinating.
It is infinitely enjoyable to listen to the stories
told by the aged, who's walk through this life has experienced much.
For me, this is especially true from those kindled by a spirit of
adventure
as certainly as was Milton Anderson's (Old Milt).
Special
thanks to Jamie Grime
for sending the pictures to make this page possible
