Graduation and Mr. Flynn

Mike regularly came out to the farm and started driving the tractor up and down the road. He learned how to drive with Harley standing on the back, giving directions. He took right to it. Soon he was practicing making turns in the field, without tangling up in the fence. Then they practiced having him drive some straight rows with the planter, but there were no seeds in it. He did a great job. That part of the plan was going to work out beautifully.

Harley and Mike also readied themselves for graduation. It would be on the western portico at Roosevelt. Baccalaureate, where there was a minister, would be first. His parents were both there, and Grandma Burt. Uncle Lynn and Aunt Alice came, also. After that, there was the graduation ceremony. Many of his friends were in the band and the choir, so they had to run back and forth from their seats with the graduates to perform with their groups. Harley just stayed put. Mike stayed put, too. They were all seated alphabetically, and it worked out that Harley was sitting almost directly behind Mike. Mike kept turning around to make a comment or tell Harley a joke about what was going on.

The speaker for the commencement was the owner of one of the biggest dairy companies in Des Moines. He had been a Roosevelt student years before and was one of their most successful graduates. Harley listened carefully to his whole speech because he wanted to be a successful business owner, too. The man, Mr. Flynn, gave the graduates a long list of good advice. Work hard. Be honest. Help your employees be better people. Listen to your customers. Help the community. He said it did not matter that there was a terrible depression going on. He told them that customer service, giving back to the community, and showing respect for everyone would make any business successful.

Harley was spellbound. Then, the man started talking about the benefits of being rich. He did not want to make anyone feel less important, but he was proud that he had been successful and told how he grew up as a poor farm boy, worked hard to get to college, and finally came back to Des Moines to start his own business. He decided on a dairy, because of his farm background. He was able to buy a big house south of Grand Avenue. Harley knew that area because it was where he delivered milk with Uncle Lynn. Mr. Flynn said he was able to buy a new car every year, even in these bad times. Then he told them he just bought a brand-new Lincoln! That’s when Harley realized that Mr. Flynn was the customer who had been so inspiring to him all this time! He knew he had to meet this man after graduation today.

Mike knew about Harley’s dream, and turned around and rapped him on knee, when he also realized that Mr. Flynn was the “Lincoln guy.” It was really swell having a friend like Mike, who cared about Harley’s hopes and dreams as much as Harley did.

After the speech, it was time to award the diplomas. Harley caught his father’s eye just before he took the last step up to the stage. He could tell Charley was proud of him. Even if Harley did not go to college, just graduating from high school would have been plenty for Charley, with his fifth-grade education. Lena had her hanky out, of course, as did Aunt Alice and Grandma Burt. Aunt Alice had to give Uncle Lynn a little elbow to wake him up, so he didn’t miss Harley walking across the stage to shake hands with that very rich man.

As Harley approached the principal, to be given his diploma, he put out his hand for the administrator to shake, but he was already focused on the dairy owner whose hand he would shake next. He readied his quick request, and as he shook Mr. Flynn’s hand, he whispered, “I deliver your milk. May I stop in and see you tomorrow afternoon?”

“Yes,” was the rich man’s reply. “Come by about four o’clock,” he said as he gave Harley’s hand an extra shake.

Graduation was on a Sunday afternoon, so Harley would be going to see Mr. Flynn on Monday at four o’clock. He could go over there after he got done at the furniture store. The street car went right from the corner where the Valley Junction furniture store was, over to Grand Avenue. It would work perfectly.

Harley’s plan was to inform Mr. Flynn what an inspiration he had been to Harley already. That was all. He wanted to thank the man. Well, that, and maybe Mr. Flynn would have some more excellent advice for Harley. Harley was a complete sponge for advice at this point. He was also curious as to why a man who owned a large dairy company bought his milk from a small dairy farmer like Uncle Lynn.

Everyone went to Grandma Burt’s house after graduation. She had a delicious luncheon set up and had baked a real graduation cake. She had put out her fancy punch set. It made Harley feel special. She had even arranged a table where Grandma Burt told him to set his diploma out for everyone to admire. Lena had also brought his Golden Gloves boxing trophy to put on the table, along with his senior picture.

After they got done with the late lunch at Grandma Burt’s, Uncle Lynn took Charley back home so he could rest. Lena and Harley left for the reception that St. Peter Lutheran church in Grimes was having for their graduates. It started at five o’clock, and they made it there right on time. Harley put his diploma on a special table there, also. It was the only one from Des Moines schools. All the rest were from Grimes, Granger, Johnston Station, or Dallas Center schools. Every little town around there had their own school.

All the other graduating seniors wanted to see what Harley’s big-city diploma looked like. They discovered that it looked almost exactly like theirs. In talking to them about all their plans, he discovered that every single one of them was done with their formal education. None of them planned on going to college. One girl was going to beauty school so she could work in Younker’s hair salon downtown. All the rest were boys who were going to work on their father’s farms or girls who were going to work in the city, for an insurance company, bank, or department store. How they thought they were going to get a job in these difficult times, Harley had no idea. A few of the girls talked about finding a husband. Harley stayed away from them, although there was one girl who appeared to be following him wherever he went. He just kept moving, until it was time to leave. He had no time for girls. Not yet, anyway.

It had been a long day for Charley and for Lena, so when Harley got home he made sure his father was comfortable in bed and then helped Lena prepare dinner. The evening chores did not take long at all, and he even had time to read a few pages in the new Reader’s Digest. For graduation, his mother told him she was going to get him his own subscription to the magazine, but she would wait until he got settled over in Iowa City. He was not going to be reading it this summer on Uncle Gene’s ranch, that was for sure.

Harley finished all his jobs early at the furniture store on Monday, to be certain that he caught the right street car to get to Mr. Flynn’s house on time. He certainly did not want to be late, and he wasn’t. It was Mrs. Flynn who answered the door. She led Harley into the parlor, where Mr. Flynn sat in a large leather chair. He gestured towards a matching chair on the other side of an ornate oak side table and said to Harley, “Have a seat, young man. Thank you for asking to speak with me today.”

Harley was immediately puzzled. “Oh no, I need to thank you, sir, for taking time to see me today.”

“Phooey,” said Mr. Flynn. “I appreciate knowing that at least one of you young people was actually listening to my speech. Many graduates do not have their mind focused at graduation. They are only thinking of their presents and their party, not what they are going to do with the rest of their lives. Do you know what you want to do?”

“Not exactly, sir, but I have already been working on it. I have two jobs right now. I deliver your milk and I work at the furniture store in Valley Junction.”

Mr. Flynn frowned a little. Harley did not like to see that. Then he asked Harley, “Is that your future, having a ‘job’?”

“No sir!” Harley exclaimed. “I want to own my own business. I just don’t know what it will be yet. After I work this summer, I will have enough money to start at the University of Iowa, and I will study business there.”

Mr. Flynn laughed, “You aren’t going to start another dairy, are you? And try to put me out of business?”

Harley laughed now also. “No. I really don’t know what kind of business. But I do know that I don’t want to work at a desk, I know that for sure. I have to keep busy. I cannot just sit around. I am riding the rails out to Washington State later this week to work for my uncle on his sheep ranch and he has a large apple business. I’ll be out there all summer.”

The business man got serious again. “That is very dangerous! Do your parents approve of this plan? Do they even know about this plan?”

“Yes, they do, sir. My mother is not happy about it, but it is her brother who offered me the job. My father had a stroke early last spring and is not able to work our farm yet. We have a small farm and one of my best friends is going to help them while I am gone.” Harley tried to give him the important details, since Mr. Flynn really seemed interested in his plans.

“That riding the rails part is what I think your parents would not like, son.”

“Well, my mother doesn’t. My father rode the rails out west last summer to harvest wheat, so he knows what can happen. I have heard many stories from him and he has warned me about all kinds of things not to do, sir.”

“Harley, I admire your ambition and your spunk.”

Harley replied, “I admire you, sir. I admired you even before I heard you speak yesterday at graduation. I have been delivering your milk twice a week for about two years.”

Harley paused, then asked another question, “I need to know, Mr. Flynn, why you buy your milk from my uncle’s small dairy farm? You own a huge dairy business. Why don’t you just buy your own products?”

“Good question, young man. I’ll tell you, it’s an important part of giving back to the community. It’s about helping others succeed. I patronize your uncle so he can keep his farm and his dairy herd; I help him be successful, and his prospering helps the whole community. Does that make sense to you?” Mr. Flynn was so sincere, and now Harley was even more impressed with him.

“Yes, I understand sir. I never thought of it like that. It’s so true, and makes sense, just like everything you said yesterday!”

Mr. Flynn nodded. “So, tell me about the rest of your plans, please.”

Harley explained, “When I first saw the Lincoln in your driveway last year, I made up my mind that I was going to have one for myself. Not now, but someday. I have been thinking about getting my education, about going to college, about what kind of business I want to have…all kinds of things in the past year or so. I’m working for a furniture store right now and I like working with people. I’m good with my hands. I know how to work hard. I know I can do anything I put my mind to. I want to be able to buy a new Lincoln every year, just like you! That’s all.”

“That’s a lot of ambition, Harley. I believe you will be successful. Is there something I can do to help?” Mr. Flynn asked.

“That is generous of you, sir, but I need to do this on my own. It won’t mean anything if I don’t have to work for it myself.” Harley continued, “I think you have already done what I needed you to do. You just said you believe in me, Mr. Flynn. That’s what I need you to do…to believe in me. I can do the rest on my own.”

Mr. Flynn shook his head. “I believe you can do it, Harley, but you need to be very careful on the rails. Will you allow me buy you a train ticket to Washington?”

“Thank you very much, sir, but I am going to ride the rails just like my father did. I think of it as an adventure. I’m a boxer. I won the Polk County Golden Gloves tournament, and I’m a farm boy. I can take care of myself.” Harley stood up and reached out his hand. “I really appreciate you taking the time to talk to me, but I need to get home now and help my mother.”

Mr. Flynn stood up, too. He smiled at Harley and shook his outstretched hand, saying, “You are a very interesting young man, Harley. I think you are going to have a great adventure, and I am certain you will be successful. You know where I live. Please come back and see me again sometime, son.”

Harley smiled back and Mr. Flynn and he walked to the front door. Suddenly, Mr. Flynn stopped. He said, “Harley, would you like to drive the Lincoln once?”

“Wh…wh…what? You would let me drive it?” Harley stammered.

“Sure. Hop in the driver’s side. I’ll go get the key.” Mr. Flynn ran inside and was back in less than a minute. Harley was waiting in the driver’s seat. Mr. Flynn got in the passenger’s side of the car and handed Harley the key.

“Start it up, farm boy. I hear farm boys can drive anything! Is that true?”

“I think I can, sir. How’s this fancy ignition work? Just turn the key?” Harley asked.

Mr. Flynn pointed to a black button at the bottom far left side of the instrument panel. “Go ahead and turn the key; that unlocks the ignition and the steering gear. Then, press that black button, and the engine fires up. It’s a beautiful sound!”

“Oh, yes sir!” Harley said. The key turned so easily, then he pushed the button and the engine purred. Harley backed up the luxury car carefully. He didn’t even ask Mr. Flynn where he should go. He just drove the neighborhood milk route.

Neither one of them spoke a single word. When he got to the last house where he usually delivered milk, Harley backed the Lincoln up and turned around, heading back to Mr. Flynn’s house. He pulled the beautiful car back where it belonged in the driveway, turned off the ignition, and let out a deep sigh.

“That was swell, Mr. Flynn. Thank you very much,” Harley said, handing him the keys.

“You are very welcome, Harley. I wish you well. Promise me that you will let me know if I can do anything at all to help you.”

“I will, sir. Thank you again.”

The two got out of the car, and Harley left for the farm. Mr. Flynn went back in his house. Both smiled broadly, knowing they had each just met an exceptional man.