The Bravest Man

Joe Doakes, late of Como Park, emails:

I guess a guy got arrested for interrupting the State of the Union address. A parent, protesting the shameful way his son’s life was wasted in the retreat from Afghanistan. I know soldiers are brave, cops and firefighters, too. But I’ve only ever witnessed one act of raw bravery in real life.

30 years ago, I moved my family to outstate Minnesota to start a career as a lawyer. I was in my office one morning when the receptionist said, “There’s someone to see you.” It was a kid from my son’s hockey team, call him John, wearing a three-piece suit with a necktie in his hand. “Today is team pictures and we’re supposed to dress up. Can you help me with this?” he asked, holding out his necktie.

It was a small town. I knew about John’s family situation. Father drank away the family business and left. Mother worked double shifts waitressing. John had nobody to show him how to tie a necktie. Where do you go to learn that? Who wears neckties anymore? Lawyers. And he knew one, me, from hockey. So, John cut class to walk uptown to the law firm carrying his necktie to ask for help so he’d look nice for the team photo.

Can you imagine the guts that took?

Of course I helped him. And then drove him back so he’d be on time. The team photo came out great. Can’t see much of John’s suit – tall kid in the back – but the knot of his necktie is as perfect as the look of pride on his face.

Bravest man I ever met was a 17-year-old kid.

Words like “bravery” and “courage” have been devalued as badly as “fascism”, lately.

But I think the kid’d get my vote.