Saying Goodbye…And Hello.

Four Generations of Munger Boys

A very few of you know I had a pretty bad day a couple of weeks ago. Nothing like illness, or a death in the family. Just a speed bump on the road of life which threw me for a loop for a few days. I tried to grab for the brass ring, so to speak, but like an off balance gymnast, I missed. Anyway, after careening into the ditch (metaphorically), I thought maybe I’d lay low, not attend some functions I’d planned on attending. After suffering disappointment, I wasn’t in the mood for crowds of people, if you know what I mean.

I’d signed up to attend a retirement event for Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Helen Meyer. I don’t know Helen well but, a while back, when the supreme court came to Hibbing High School to hear oral arguments on a case (part of the court’s state-wide outreach), Rene’ and Matt and Lisa and I had the pleasure of sitting with Helen, for dinner at a gathering sponsored by the Range Bar Association. Just the Justice and the Munger Family dining together. She was so gracious, interesting, and kind, well, when I heard she was retiring from the high court and that she was going to be honored at the law school we both attended (William Mitchell in St. Paul), well, I just had to go. And given that my dad also graduated from Mitchell (Class of ’56) and hadn’t been on campus since my graduation (1981), I thought, “What the hell. Why not take the old man on a road trip?”

As I said, I nearly backed out of the deal but, in thinking it through, and given my old man is nearly 85 and doesn’t get out to see his old legal buddies (the few that remain with us), I figured I owed him a trip down memory lane no matter how uncomfortable it might make me feel to be around folks. Turns out, we had a wonderful day.

We arrived early and were given a guided tour of the campus (much changed since my graduation and completely new to my father). Then we stood in line to shake Justice Meyer’s hand, stood in line again for a soda (the old man went with something a bit stronger!) and stood in line for food before the speeches began. Dad reconnected with an old running mate from his day’s as a trial lawyer, talked at length to another Twin Cities attorney with Duluth roots, and met most of the current and former supreme court justices in attendance. I could tell from the omnipresent smile on Dad’s face he had a great time.

After we said our goodbyes and I punched in an address in Fridley, we zoomed off in my Pacifica to attend another event, the retirement of musician, friend, and fellow district court judge, Don Venne. There was only one glitch: Maggie, my ever faithful built-in GPS, steered us to the “new” Central Avenue NE when the Shoreview Supper Club is located on the “old” stretch of Central. The detour wasn’t long: I actually did the unthinkable for a male-I asked someone for directions! In any event, we said hello to Judge Don, ordered a libation, and sat and had a wonderful conversation with Judge John Hoffman and his wife about politics in present-day America, a topic my old man could expound upon for hours.

As the sun was setting behind the western treeline, casting oranges and reds over the lake next to Highway 65, the Pacifica pulled out, heading north, towards home. I was glad I’d swallowed my pride and taken the ride with Harry. In the process, we honored two very fine jurists and made some memories between father and son. And that’s never a bad thing to do.

Peace.

Mark