REAL STORY TO HERO: HE WAS JUST BEING HIMSELF.Byline: Dennis McCarthy Dennis McCarthy may refer to:
How about that Bob, huh huh interj. Used to express interrogation, surprise, contempt, or indifference. huh interj an exclamation of derision, bewilderment, or inquiry ? On Wednesday morning of last week, he's driving through the Valley minding his own business, just another guy on his way to work. On Thursday morning, he's being hailed as a hero on the front page of the Daily News after stopping to help a bicyclist hit by a car, confronting the hit-and-run driver hit-and-run driver n → conductor que tras atropellar a algn se da a la fuga hit-and-run driver n → chauffard m hit-and-run driver hit n trying to flee flee v. fled , flee·ing, flees v.intr. 1. To run away, as from trouble or danger: fled from the house into the night. 2. , getting into a fistfight with the guy, and finally pinning him to the ground until police arrived. ``So, how was your day, honey?'' ``Not bad, dear. I chased some hit-and-run driver, punched his lights out after he hit me, then sat on him until the cops arrived. Other than that, it was kind of slow.'' So what's it like to be called a hero on the front page of your hometown home·town n. The town or city of one's birth, rearing, or main residence. Noun 1. hometown - the town (or city) where you grew up or where you have your principal residence; "he never went back to his hometown again" newspaper? Most of us only get that far in our dreams. Bob Kurpjuweit made the trip wide awake. It's 8 a.m. last Thursday morning, and the phone at Bob's Aladdin Glass Co. in Northridge is already ringing when Nancy Kurpjuweit opens for business. ``Aladdin Glass,'' the hero's wife says. ``This is Dr. So-and-So, and I'd like to thank Bob personally for what he did in capturing that hit-and-run driver. He's a real hero.'' ``Why thank you very much, I'll let him know when he gets back from a job,'' the hero's wife says, a little surprised as she hangs up. The phone rings again a few seconds later. ``Aladdin Glass.'' ``This is Mr. So-and-So from the Kiwanis Club. We'd like to know if Bob could speak at our meeting next week?'' ``Uh, I'm not sure. I'll ask him when he gets in.'' Ring, again. ``This is the White House calling.'' No, I'm just kidding, but the guy was hot. ``I was totally shocked at the reaction,'' the hero's wife of 20 years says Wednesday as we talk about that hectic hec·tic adj. 1. Characterized by intense activity, confusion, or haste: "There was nothing feverish or hectic about his vigor" Erik Erikson. 2. day when she served as message center for a front-page hero. ``The phone didn't stop ringing all day,'' she said. ``Without exaggerating ex·ag·ger·ate v. ex·ag·ger·at·ed, ex·ag·ger·at·ing, ex·ag·ger·ates v.tr. 1. To represent as greater than is actually the case; overstate: , there were at least 50 straight calls from people wanting to thank Bob for what he did. ``You could tell from their phone voices that they were men and women of all ages and nationalities, just wanting to express their gratitude. A few of them even wanted Bob to come by and put new windows in their homes. ``They figured if he was a hero, he had to be honest,'' Nancy said, laughing. ``The whole thing told me two things. One, a lot of people read the Daily News, and two, there are some great people out there willing to take the time to call or write a stranger, and say thanks.'' Not all of them were strangers, though. One of the reactions to Bob's front-page heroism Heroism See also Bravery. Achilles Greek hero without whom Troy could not have been taken. [Gk. Lit.: Iliad] Aeneas Trojan hero; legendary founder of Roman race. [Rom. Lit. came from the couple's own children - Tiffany Tiffany, Tiffanie (UK) a semi-longhaired version of the Burmese cat. It has a fine, silky coat in many colors. , 9; Casey, 12; and Adam, 13. They all went out and got extra copies of the paper, and cut out the story about their dad. Then, they took it to the first week of school to read to their class as a current event. ``They came home from school excited that all the kids thought their dad was a hero,'' Nancy said. ``They were pretty proud. ``It was the same reaction with our friends when they read the story in the paper. The phone would ring, and I'd yell, `Bob, it's another one of your admirers on the line.' Bob usually doesn't get embarrassed very easily, but he was turning red a lot last week.'' Nancy, who says she's been cooing coo v. cooed, coo·ing, coos v.intr. 1. To utter the murmuring sound of a dove or pigeon or a sound resembling it. 2. over her husband all week, teasingly tease v. teased, teas·ing, teas·es v.tr. 1. To annoy or pester; vex. 2. To make fun of; mock playfully. 3. calling him ``My Hero'' every time she addresses him, finally admitted the truth Wednesday while the hero was out putting in a new window. Just between you, me, and the fence post, here's the real story, she says. Bob's no hero. Bob's just Bob. ``When we heard about what he had done, neither the kids or I were surprised because Bob's always stopping to help people, whether they're stranded on the roadside or in an accident,'' Nancy says. ``So, when everyone was calling him a hero, the kids and I were smiling at each other and saying, `No, that's just Dad being Dad.' '' Bob agreed when he got back to the office later Wednesday. ``The people who called were really happy that somebody cared enough about somebody else to stop and help them,'' he said. ``I guess it's because people don't usually do that anymore. Not me, though. I've been fortunate in my life to always receive help whenever I've needed it. ``And, I've made it my practice to make damn sure I give it when somebody else needs it, too,'' Bob said. ``I'm no hero.'' No, he's just Bob being Bob. MEMO MEMO Memorandum MEMO Medicines Monitoring Unit (University of Dundee) MEMO Medical Equipment Management Office MEMO Mission-Essential Maintenance Only MEMO Mission-Essential Maintenance Operations MEMO Mental Modeler : Dennis McCarthy's column appears Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday. |
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