THE VINE
“Bring ‘Em Back Alive” was the motto of the real Frank Buck, who collected exotic animals for zoos and circuses.
be open. e are all going about our lives with their daily routines, worries and joys. Some days are busier than others, bring more joys than others, but they all make up a chapter of our lives. As we go through our daily routines, we should try to be more open to opportunities to meet new people, have new experiences, further our careers or interests, and try to see things from a different perspective. I am always looking for a chance to strike up a conversation at the grocery store. I have had some amazing conversations with the butcher, the checkout person, or that random person in aisle 3. We both laugh, share a thought, and walk away reflecting on the chance encounter with a stranger. On one such occasion while Joe the Butcher and I were talking up a storm, he said, “I didn’t know you were Frank Buck!” At that moment he got my life’s story and the real Frank Buck’s as well. I can thank my grandfather; he gave me that nickname. Much like the real Frank Buck, I love being outside, I love to hunt, fish, travel and spend time with my dogs. I did not get to spend enough time with him, but what a storyteller he was. I guess it runs in the family. So there you have it, Frank Buck is Rod Michael. Or is it the other way around?
66 55+ LIFE MAGAZINE | WINTER 2022
My wife and I love to go out to dinner and converse with our favorite waitress. We ask her how she is and exchange cooking and baking recipes. Many times, if not every time, we end up in a conversation about all kinds of things with the people sitting next to us. On one such occasion, I could not help but say something to a couple who was dining next to us. They were passing through town and just happened upon our favorite restaurant. The gentleman was having the same wine and entrée I was and the lady the same as my wife. As you can well imagine it didn’t take much for me to start up a conversation. In doing so we found that we had so much in common that we keep in touch to this day. The best part was to find out that we were all Vizsla owners. As we go about writing each chapter please bring the best of you to all you do. If you love someone, please tell them. Smile as you walk the aisles of the grocery store. Don’t be afraid to open new doors or the door for someone else. Your current chapter does not have to be the number one best seller, but it must be a great read for all the people you touch in your life. Make them feel that the time you spent together was truly one of life’s greatest treasures. And hey, you just might strike up a conversation with Frank Buck (aka Rod Michael). n
Photos: Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
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BY ROD MICHAEL (AKA “FRANK BUCK”)
