Old Man Bluffton Zoomed in with me the other night. He was wearing a Bluffton University sweatshirt.

Note: You can read previous conversation with the Old Man here (as you can see, there are some years that he refuses to talk with me):
• Click for our 2009 conversation
• Click for our 2014 conversation
• Click for our 2017 conversation
• Click for our 2019 conversation

Said he wasn’t coming to Bluffton this Christmas because of the covid-19 issues.

I told him that was fine with me, so we just chatted for 45 minutes on the screen.

He moved to Bluffton, South Carolina, years ago and comes back to Bluffton 45817 usually between Christmas and New Year’s. He likes to attend the Messiah performance and get peanut brittle at the senior center.

Since Handel’s work was online he said that he watched it from his porch that faced the Atlantic Ocean beach. “It was a great presentation. I especially liked all the interviews with people,” he said.

Because there wasn’t peanut brittle this year he told me that he ordered some of the center’s fudge, instead.

I think he was eating some when we Zoomed. His beard was sort of gnarly. But, then, he’s a  gnarly type of guy, as you can see in his passport photo.

The Old Man said he’s been reading the Icon and had several questions for me. He wanted to know how downtown businesses were doing this year, given the situation of the moment.

He told me in very clear language that anyone not wearing a mask was a (sorry I can’t repeat his exact words since this is a family publication). I told him I agreed with him.

And, on continuing on that theme, he asked me when the Bluffton Democrats would insist on a Nov. 3 election recount. He thought the totals were off quite a bit. He even thought of bringing in the Ohio National Guard for a revote.

I told him the election was over and that he should get on with his life.

He also mentioned showing to some of his retired associates the Blaze of Lights video that Derek Dukes and his friends created with Kevin Gratz. He said that demonstrates what he called the powerful essence of a progressive small town. I think he was teary eyed when he mentioned that.

He was also impressed with the 60-car caravan that promoted the holiday lights in town. 

Concerning downtown, he couldn’t say enough about the new bike racks on Main Street. “It’s about time,” he hollered into the Zoom camera. (I turned down the volume at that point.)

He asked me when the public library might open to the public. I told him that I wasn’t certain, but in January he could sign up for the book bag, a library subscription service. He thought that was good idea and said he’d look into it.

The Old Man noted that he was glad to see the Jefferson Street Phase II back on the schedule.

He also told me that the new directional signs that the chamber installed are, as he put it, “very necessary.” And, the clean-up of the Bentley Road entrance from the interstate was something that should have happened years ago.

I told him that the covid-19 vaccine was given for the first time at Mennonite Home this week and that Bluffton was on the Ohio Holiday Lights Tour. He already knew that. Said he had something to do with both those situations. I have no idea how, but he’s Old Man Bluffton and must be whispering in someone higher up’s ear.

As we concluded our Zoom he told me that he was impressed that 34 Bluffton businesses had gift certificate options for Christmas.

“That’s a great way to shop local,” he pointed to me. "Tell everyone that they had better do that." Once again, I told him I agreed and added that Bluffton small businesses are very quick to adapt to business situations and that this was a perfect example of that adaptation.

Just as we signed off he tossed in one thing he’d like to see in town next year: “A new leaf sweeper,” he said. “That thing the town used now ought to go dumped into one of those trash bins the town puts out during the May clean-up week. It’s a joke.”

Once again, I told me that he was right on target. “Well, Steiner, I’ve got to go. I’m in a shuffleboard tournament down here and it’s about to begin.”

I told him the next time he comes to Bluffton I’ll play a set with him. He just laughed and said something like, “You won’t last the first round against me at shuffleboard.”

Once, again, although I didn’t comment, I thought to myself, “he’s probably correct.”

“See you next year,” he bellowed.

As he faded out he mumbled something that he thought I needed to tell Tomm Triplett in Fort Wayne. "Tell Tomm that found his dad's (Maurice) 1958 Ford retractable hardtop at the Auburn, Indiana, antique car auction on Labor Day and bought it. It still had its Bixel Motor's license plate holder on it."

I asked the Old Man how much he paid for it, but the Zoom timed out before I heard his answer.