The day my photojournalism professor stopped in town

         I was enjoying lunch at the Poweshiek County Fair on Friday a week ago when I received a text from Jo Ahrens at Three Sisters Fabric and Fashion in Montezuma.
         “Are you working today?,” she asked.
         “I’m at the county fair,” I replied.
         “You won’t want to miss this,” Jo said. “Hurry.”
         “What’s going on?,” I asked
       “Your photojournalism professor (from the University of Missouri-Columbia) stopped here to find you,” explained Jo. “They just went to Yolanda’s for lunch. I think he sent you a text.”
         “Did you get a name?,” I asked
         “Dave,” she replied.
        “Dave Rees,” I replied. “I will head that way. If you can let him know I’m coming, it would be appreciated.”
          “How soon would you get here?,” she asked.
         “25 minutes, maybe sooner,” I replied.
         “We are letting them know,” Jo said.
         “Thanks, I’m on my way,” I said.
     I headed for the Suburban and hit the road for Montezuma while shoveling in the last bite of my cheeseburger and taking a swig of ice tea.
         I took the backroads across the gravel in hopes of not missing Dave.
        I arrived at Yolanda’s and Dave got up and gave me hug. He introduced me to his girlfriend and said they were on their way to Minnesota and then on to Wisconsin and wanted to stop and find me.
       They were driving around town and saw Three Sisters, so they went inside and asked about me. As one person said, isn’t it nice to live in a town where someone knows you and can find you if needed. I have to agree.
       I haven’t seen Dave in 15 or more years, so it was nice to catch up after all those years. I appreciate him thinking of me and taking the time to look me up while in town.
      Dave mentioned about me being a friend of the MU Chancellor. I hadn’t been at MU long when I was reading stories in the school newspaper, “The Maneater,” about the new chancellor and his new vehicle and all of his benefits and how it was raising tuition.
       I was tired of listening to all the gripping, so I wrote the chancellor, Dr. Charles Kiesler, a letter thanking him for being at MU and shared about my journey and plans to earn a degree in my 30s.
      “I don’t think young people today understand that at one time you were where they are now,” I wrote in the letter.
        It wasn’t my best written letter, but it had a message and it touched him.
      Three weeks later, I received a personal letter from Dr. Kiesler thanking me for my kind words and inviting me to come meet him, as he wanted to help me.
      Long story short, I met with Dr. Kiesler about six weeks later and he helped me land a job at MU as a custodian. I was only in his office for five minutes, but it was good.
       I remember it well. I had returned to Oklahoma in the summer of 1993 and went fishing with my dad. We got back to my parent’s farm and there was a message from the MU employment office asking me to come see them as I had been recommended by the chancellor.
      I spent just more than four years sweeping floors and cleaning toilets while I worked my way through college and journalism school.
       I remember my academic advisor in the School of Agriculture calling me to ask about my meeting with the chancellor. He said the vice provost of MU Extension couldn’t get a meeting with the chancellor, but I did. The chance meeting was the talk of the journalism and agriculture schools.
     I graduated with a degree in Agricultural Journalism. It was duel program between the schools of Journalism and Agriculture.
        Dave and I had our photo taken together and we kept visiting, as I followed him and his girlfriend to their vehicle, which was parked on Third Street across from the courthouse.
      Dave taught the “Introduction to Photojournalism” course at MU when I was  a student. That’s where I learned to photograph emotion, interactions, window light, shadows, reflection and so much more.
       Part of my school studies include spending a semester at MU working the news desk and also a semester in the photo department at the Columbia Missourian.
      Dave was my class instructor during the Columbia Missourian experience. I was nominated and received photo of the week honors three or four times that summer.
      Back in day, I shot film. When I started journalism school, digital cameras were just starting to hit the market. They were big, clanky and heavy cameras. I can’t image carrying one of those cameras around now.
      I’m so thankful for the experiences I had at MU. I learned from some of the best at the Schools of Journalism and Agriculture. Returning to college and graduating at age 38 was a great experience and one that I will take to heart forever.
         Have a great week and always remember that “Good Things are Happening,” every day.