#rick bruno

[blorpy]

"So next time you encounter a police officer taking what you consider to be unusual precautions, remember my error."

Rick Bruno, of Quora, finds himself in a sticky situation.

I was on patrol at about 3 AM on a very cold winter night, and responded to a call of an intoxicated patron at a local restaurant. It was the kind of place people went to after the bars closed, so it was not unusual for a call like this at that location. A backup officer was also assigned and was enroute. I arrived first and went inside. I said hello to several of the usuals, and the waitress pointed out the problem child. He was about 65 years old and very drunk. I had never run into him before, but I was sure I could handle the guy without a backup. I radioed that the backup could disregard the call, so I was on my own. The guy seemed friendly enough. I told him I was going to drive him home, and he appreciated that. 

[blorpy]

"Won't you be my neighbor?" How Fred Rogers influenced one man's life.

                  Rick Bruno, of Quora, shares his family's story of meeting Mr. Rogers.

My son Dan is autistic. When he was young he loved watching "Mr Rogers' Neighborhood" on PBS. Dan was infatuated with the characters, and with Mr Rogers himself. He was so infatuated, Dan wanted to own the puppets and the castle and the trolley himself. My wife wrote to the Pittsburgh studio where the series was filmed, and one day she received a phone call from a lady at the studio. The lady explained how to obtain some of the puppets and the trolley, and my wife told her how she made a model of the castle from cardboard and painted clay. They had a long conversation about Dan. About a week later we received an invitation from Fred Rogers to come to Pittsburgh and visit the studio. The letter was followed up with a phone call from the lady my wife had previously spoken to. So we packed up our 4 sons (ranging from 7 to 4 years of age), and we drove from Chicago to Pittsburgh. The next day we went to the studio and met some of the people in the show, and then Fred came onto the set and we met him too. There were two other families there as well, both with children with disabilities. One family had come all the way from Brazil. Fred Rogers spent time with each child, patiently explaining what happens to make the show, where the puppets originated, etc. He let Dan hold the King Friday puppet, and I could see Dan was having the time of his life. Now and then over the next few years, Dan would get a letter from Mr Rogers, asking about how he was doing and how his schooling was coming along. Some people have negative opinions about Fred Rogers. I found him to be a kind and genuinely nice man, and it was a distinct honor to have met him. My sons will never forget the experience. 

Mr. Rogers influenced many people across generations.  Who has influenced you?