An Evening With the Oyens
Just think. If Al Gore had invented the internet a lot earlier, then Peter Robinson could have penned the Berlin Wall Speech for Ronald Reagan, and then gotten down to brass tacks with Rob Long bequeathing to us Ricochet, and we could have all gotten about the business of forming these friendships much sooner. Not quibbling, mind you,..just supposing.
Suppose, for example, that they hadn't needed a trailer load of something or other in Minneapolis? I would have been deprived of the remarkable experience of meeting Ricochet Member Duane Oyen and his lovely bride Annie. My work brought me to a truck stop in Rogers, Minnesota, and Duane brought me to the Oyen home for an evening of conversation, laughter, and a level of easy-going comfort that one doesn't often experience when meeting others for the very first time.
I knew from Duane's posts and comments on Ricochet that he has a formidable mind, but it took meeting him in person to experience a delightful combination of graciousness and unrelenting intellect. Looking at his business card, I see his name followed by the letters, MBA, LPN, JD, EIEIO, AEIOU and sometimes Y, ETC, OMG! He explained his work to me. Several times, in fact, and I almost somewhat grasp it. He develops and coordinates contracts on the interaction of intellectual property rights and research agreements with regard to medical research and treatment at an area university. I could try to go further in explaining this, but I don't have the confidence necessary to pull it off, so I'll instead tell you about walking Duane's dog.
Charlie, the family pooch, is a sly operator. He runs out the length of the leash and then takes the far side of the nearest fire hydrant or sign post before pressing straight ahead, wrapping the leash around said object and requiring Duane to go to the post or hydrant to unwrap the thing, thereby freeing Charlie to search for the next trap. For his part, Duane practices conservatism and conservationism, picking up soda cans, paper, and other debris along the way while untangling Charlie's leash, and telling me about his work, the house, the neighborhood, and his family, the latter being an obvious and justifiable source of immense pride.
Our path took us through a wooded area thick with trees that reach up to touch each other and form a canopy shading our path. “On the left,” I heard a female voice say. I glanced back and a lady was traveling at a brisk pace on a bicycle. I moved further to the right (as if that were possible), she passed on the left and thanked me. Soon another bicyclist came toward us from the other direction at a very high rate of speed. A few more words between Duane and I, and then “On the left,” again, as another lady took the left side of our little pack. Duane was unfazed. Charlie was marking his territory. Next came a runner, sweating like a pitcher of ice water, short of breath and serious of countenance. Such a serene setting, and yet everyone was in such a hurry to either get in shape or die trying.
Back at the house Duane's wife, Annie, arrived home from work. She is a Certified Public Accountant. I questioned why, given the challenges inherent in both of their professions, they weren't both alcoholics too? But I get the impression that life itself is stimulant enough for these very good people. Outside, Duane showed me the hot tub that he has been working on for the last couple of decades. It is nearing completion and is sturdy enough that it will outlast the house, the neighbor's houses, the neighborhood, a tornado, a nuclear attack, and will in the end be something of interest and curiosity for archaeologists to pick over in a future age.
If you are ever in the Rogers area, I highly recommend the Granite City Food and Brewery. This was where Duane and Annie took me for dinner, and where I noticed the most interesting phenomenon. The food was spectacular, the service flawless, but the drinks had an unusual effect. Duane doesn't drink alcohol. Annie enjoyed a local brew, while I resorted to my favorite bourbon. I noticed, however, that halfway through my drink, Duane seemed more relaxed. He began to slouch a bit, in Annie's direction naturally. As I made progress on my second drink, the angle of his slouch increased to the point that I thought he might just go horizontal on us. He was still quite animated, and his slur wasn't speeched in the slightest. He just wasn't upright. I stopped at two drinks, though. Had I indulged any further, I'm afraid Annie and I would've had to carry Duane to the car.
The rest of the evening was spent relaxing, lap tops open, trading stories, photos, news, sports headlines, and more laughs. I can't stress enough how completely relaxing the atmosphere was and how utterly at home this delightful family made me feel. The following morning, having rested in the guest room, I awoke to find that Annie had already left for work, while Duane had run over 4 miles and was busy working on more contracts and such from his home computer. Before taking me back to the truck, Duane sat down to the piano for a minute. The piano is correctly classified as a percussion instrument, and Duane's appreciation of that fact was obvious as he went to work on the keyboard. Hands and fingers flying, lightly touching some keys while practically pounding others, the term, “relentless intellect” again came to mind.
Years ago, Norm Crosby made a quick appearance on the old Dean Martin Show. Telling Dean that he had recently been to the doctor, Crosby said that he had been diagnosed with a case of “Gregarious Reluctance.” There is nothing in any way reluctant about the gregariousness of my hosts, the Oyens. While it would have been nice to have met them years earlier, it is a pleasure to have now met them. Again, I'm struck by the caliber of people at Ricochet. People of accomplishment, absolutely, ...but people of warm and friendly spirit as well. And for a professional traveler, it is especially nice to meet people that make me feel so very much at home. Ricochet; a gift that keeps on giving.
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Comments :
May '11
Re: An Evening With the Oyens
Next came a runner, sweating like a pitcher of ice water, short of breath and serious of countenance. Such a serene setting, and yet everyone was in such a hurry to either get in shape or die trying.
That is so good that I am embarrassed by everything I have posted.
Edited on Jul 28, 2011 at 8:18pmOct '10
Re: An Evening With the Oyens
Dave Carter
There is nothing in any way reluctant about the gregariousness of my hosts, the Oyens. While it would have been nice to have met them years earlier, it is a pleasure to have now met them. Again, I'm struck by the caliber of people at Ricochet. People of accomplishment, absolutely, ...but people of warm and friendly spirit as well. And for a professional traveler, it is especially nice to meet people that make me feel so very much at home. Ricochet; a gift that keeps on giving. ·
Well said, Dave. And my feelings toward the editors of and contributors to Ricochet are mutual. This place is truly unique.
Jul '10
Re: An Evening With the Oyens
Why I love Ricochet.
Hay, Dave, could You put a price of only $3.47 for the caliper of People You've met?
Re: An Evening With the Oyens
Jimmy Carter: Why I love Ricochet.
Hay, Dave, could You put a price of only $3.47 for the caliper of People You've met? · Jul 28 at 8:26pm
Don't do that! I nearly had heart failure going back through the post looking for typos. As the old Cajun letter back home said, "I nearly had a nerving smashdown." My son found some errors in one of my recent posts, pointed them out in a text message to me and then joyously wrote, "I win! I win!"
Aug '10
Re: An Evening With the Oyens
wondermous dave !
ya get close to buchanan county, missouri, we'll need an alert so we can accomodate .
where do we send you music ?
May '10
Re: An Evening With the Oyens
Dave, sounds like you were served up a healthy portion of (click here).
May '10
Re: An Evening With the Oyens
My guess is that Duane, accomplished as he is, felt like he was the lucky one to have met you, Dave. You and your truck have an open invitation to Austin, Texas. In your honor, I would bake an all-American apple pie, served a la mode. Unless you prefer clafoutis.
May '10
Re: An Evening With the Oyens
Duane is the sort of person I am reluctant to disagree with no matter how often I do. After a year or so of arguing with him on Ricochet, I have learned to always assume he knows more than I do on the subject... whatever that subject might be.
Judging from other walking encyclopedias I have known, I would guess that Mrs Oyen is fond of ignoring his astute lectures.
Re: An Evening With the Oyens
Thank you! I love apple pie. Rob Long corrected me on the whole clafoutis thing. I had never heard of it, and so started calling it caliphate instead. I should get out more.
Jun '10
Re: An Evening With the Oyens
The only thing I know about Rogers, MN is that they tend to get our bad weather about 45 minutes before we do. I thank them for the warnings.
Re: An Evening With the Oyens
Me too. (One of the other people about whom I feel just the same way: Aaron Miller.)
Re: An Evening With the Oyens
Peter Robinson
Me too. (One of the other people about whom I feel just the same way: Aaron Miller.) · Jul 28 at 9:22pm
I second that motion. Actually, the folks here are so pleasant and so well informed that I'm reluctant to cross swords with any of them. But I do very much enjoy the pleasant give and take just the same.
May '10
Re: An Evening With the Oyens
Oh, Dave and Duane! You both do know how much I wished I had been there observing your interactions, don't you? But my worthless Walmart Elder Wand knock-off would not work! I kept following the instructions and commanding it, "Disapparate! Apparate!" swishing it about with quite a ferocity. I think I got slipped the lame ol' Draco Malfoy wand instead... :-\
May '10
Re: An Evening With the Oyens
Peter Robinson
Me too. (One of the other people about whom I feel just the same way: Aaron Miller.) · Jul 28 at 9:22pm
Hee! Me three! I did get into a debate with Duane once. Once. Privately where not many people could see me crying...
May '10
Re: An Evening With the Oyens
Thank you, Dave! It was fun to kill time my favorite way- with absolutely nothing rigidly scheduled, in the midst of pleasant company.
I need to correct one misconstruction, though, on behalf of Rubber Duckie- she is not a CPA; she is an accountant, but does management accounting in the world of reinsurance (competing against Warren Buffett). Different skill set.
But y'all let me know when any Ricos are floating by on I-94 in the NW Minneapolis suburbs, headed for the North Dakota boom country.
Re: An Evening With the Oyens
Sorry 'bout that, Duane. When I heard the word, "Accountant," my mind heard CPA as well. I thought perhaps Annie wanted to snag some letters after her name before you make off with the whole alphabet.
May '10
Re: An Evening With the Oyens
The only reason my business card is loaded with alphabet soup is because I live in the phony world of academia, where credentialism has runamuck. I don't play that game any other place in my life.
It's not like any diploma is from any prestigious place.
Jul '10
Re: An Evening With the Oyens
I smell the opportunity for Dave to write a book about his travels with Ricochet.