I’ve
been been gone just under at week and I’ve already logged over 1, 200 miles to
date. The hectic pace is necessary
to get to the East Coast while maximizing the opportunities for fellowship
growth along the way. I designed today to be a relatively short hop of 170
miles from Albany, NY to Boston, MA to make it a lighter travel day and to gear
up for an immersion in Boston. While any day on the road is an opportunity for
growth, I thought today would be a good day to catch my breath. There was
nothing light or laid-back about today.
My
obscure goal for “seeing and doing” today was the Springfield Armory in
Springfield, MA. This destination is a national landmark, off the beaten trail,
and takes some degree of effort to get to visit. It’s a perfect place to visit!
The Springfield Armory was the nation’s first armory and provided weapons
design and production for almost two hundred years. The armory has an
impressive collection of firearms. It’s a great stop as it helped me better
understand how firearm technology played a significant role in America’s
ability to wage effective military campaigns.
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| On the grounds of the Springfield Armory in Springfield, MA |
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| This is a very impressive collection of authentic antique muskets. |
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| The muskets in detail... |
While
I enjoyed the armory visit, the great moments of the day came from simple
conversations I had with two individuals I met along the way. The beauty of
these encounters comes from the fact that conversations were struck up over
simple daily life activities. The first gentlemen pulled up next to me on the
grounds (In a BEAUTIFULLY preserved VW Microbus!) of the armory and offered to
take a picture of me as he saw my futile attempts to get the shot. At first I
declined his offer as I had a shot that would work and I didn’t want to take up
his time. An instant later I took him up on his offer.
Ten
minutes later, we had talked about family, his car, Springfield, MA, epic road
trips, good food, photography, and history. It was a rich conversation, each of
us eager to contribute new insights to the dialogue. We knew each other for
moments and we talked liked we knew each other for years. Sadly, I never got
his name (a rare oversight for me!), but returned to the armory, found his car,
left him a note, and thanked him for the helpful suggestions…I hope he calls or
e-mails so I can thank him personally for his gestures. He had SUCH a cool car.
The
second gentleman I met is simply a gem of a human being. With thanks to the
Armory VW Huy’s recommendation, I headed to Mom
and Rico’s for an Italian deli lunch. Mom
and Rico’s is the epitome of a “mom and pop” and when you walk in, you feel
like you’re walking into a place you’ve always known. The owner, Rico Daniele,
greeted me warmly and offered a sample of the day’s special deli meat on a
taste of bread. Freshly sliced capicola (I’m pretty sure!) on fantastic crusty
bread is always a winner. Also a winner, the fact that Rico sells his ham
sandwich for around $1.43, the same price as the sandwich sold for when he
opened the store in the 1970s. It was a great sandwich in a great store, but
there’s so much more…
Rico
is a bundle of energy who exudes good vibes to anyone who walks through the
door. He’s driven by family, community, and his obvious love of all things Italia. We talked about how great things
would be if families found more time to be together, even simply sharing meals
on a daily basis. His goal is to make the sport of bocce ball something you’d
find on school playgrounds and neighborhood parks. His goal is to get families
to play together.
I
admire a man who puts family first and stands up for his community. I certainly
admire a man who works hard to bring new opportunities to individuals to
enhance their lives. Rico’s heart is in the right place and it was a pleasure
to meet someone who takes great satisfaction making the world a better place.
It just goes to show that the next great opportunity to live and learn about
your world can come at any moment,
even when you walk into the deli…
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| The One and Only Rico Daniele |
Salute, Rico!
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