On the Road with Dean and Betty

Betty and Dean Barton of Missouri

Towards the end of my morning walk, this lovely couple stopped to ask, as Betty put it, "a dumb question," not knowing that for a teacher, even a retired one, there are no such things as dumb questions.  It was simply where the nearest Wal-Mart might be found and that was easy to answer.  That out of the way, I had a chance to chat with Dean and Betty Barton of Missouri who made my day with their story and positive outlook on life.  Seems this couple, both of whom had lost spouses to cancer, have been married only 18 years after having met in a Wal-Mart.  This is their first motorcycle and they're on a road trip heading west and apparently having a super time.  They told me that after Dean's son suffered not one, but two strokes this past year and their daughter-in-law a heart attack, they realized that if there are things you want to do, get on it - life is short and at best, uncertain.  A few more minutes of chatting about real estate (lower in Missouri than Colorado) and quilting (Betty does her own long-arm quilting) and they were on their way to Wal-Mart. An anniversary, perhaps?  I don't know.  But I do know that my morning was brighter for having met the Bartons of Missouri.