NEAL CONAN, HOST:
Looking forward to our final day, a lot of our buddies and colleagues have been confronted with a dilemma. Effectively, how do you say goodbye? For many people, discovering the correct phrases might be tough. And when inspiration fails and panic units in, nicely, we regularly flip to the lengthy racks of greeting playing cards. So we have requested former Hallmark greeting card author and creator of the YouTube sequence “Greeting Card Emergency” David Ellis Dickerson. He’ll be part of us in a second. However what’s one of the best goodbye card you ever received? 800-989-8255. E-mail us: discuss@npr.org. David Ellis Dickerson, with us right here in Studio 42. Good to have you ever again on this system.
DAVID ELLIS DICKERSON: It is a beautiful to be again, Neal.
CONAN: And I’ve to say, broadly talking, there appeared to be two classes. Hey, congratulations, you are shifting on, or, oh, I am so sorry.
DICKERSON: Proper, proper. There’s the you bought fired and, you realize, we’re not going to see you, otherwise you’re going again to highschool. You are following your goals. Proper. Yeah.
CONAN: Precisely. Once you left Hallmark, did anyone despatched you a card?
DICKERSON: Oh, after all. Their playing cards…
(LAUGHTER)
DICKERSON: Folks purchase the playing cards every week upfront, it looks like. Everybody is aware of every little thing beforehand. I used to be additionally considering – one other occasion that occurs rather a lot when folks need to say goodbye are short-term gigs, like tv or theater or placing collectively one thing like that, camp. And so it is an fascinating problem, as a result of so typically, the farewell playing cards you get are issues like, it was nice working with you. We’ll see you once more, you realize, I am trying ahead to – however all of them appeared to overlook – what I like greatest about this new world is that there is no goodbyes, you realize?
I am on a highway tour proper now, a cross-country, and I am staying with buddies I’ve abruptly been capable of keep in contact with, 10, 15, 20 years. There – in a manner, each goodbye is short-term. And I hoped to see extra playing cards that might – that mirror that.
CONAN: Have you ever seen any?
DICKERSON: I do not store at card shops that a lot anymore…
CONAN: Oh, actually?
DICKERSON: …as a result of I am in my very own head.
(LAUGHTER)
DICKERSON: The truth is, most greeting playing cards writers do not buy greeting playing cards. They write their very own.
CONAN: They write their very own?
DICKERSON: Yeah. However, you realize, I do know that the majority card shops go straight into the strike zone. You recognize, they need the preferred type of card, and that is usually going to be enterprise, you realize, we’re sorry to see you go.
CONAN: Or flowers on the quilt, and…
DICKERSON: Precisely. Sure.
CONAN: The good factor – nicely, I will say – you realize, there may be that class, people who find themselves gone perpetually…
DICKERSON: Sure.
(LAUGHTER)
CONAN: …however they don’t seem to be going to learn anymore playing cards.
DICKERSON: Precisely, precisely. In a manner, you possibly can type of miss on a card like that. You possibly can say no matter you need, and it is not going to matter.
(LAUGHTER)
DICKERSON: That truly jogs my memory one of many playing cards I had in thoughts once I was enthusiastic about a card for this, would – a card that might say one thing like on this, you realize, Fb period, you realize, how will you ever actually say goodbye? And on the within, it will say one thing like, however if you happen to learn the way, please let me know, as a result of I’ve received stuff I have to do.
CONAN: It is even weirder that radio, which you consider as this ephemeral medium, that, you realize, you place it on the air, it goes out. You look ahead to the opinions from Alpha Centauri.
DICKERSON: Yeah.
CONAN: The actual fact is, all of these items is archived on the Net. All of these items goes to be round perpetually.
DICKERSON: Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh. That is wonderful. Effectively, that was the opposite – as a result of my thoughts went to a scientific mode, as nicely, and I used to be enthusiastic about the truth that – oh, I had one concept that stated one thing like: Matter can’t be created or destroyed. Each particle in our physique is immortal and can survive.
(LAUGHTER)
DICKERSON: It’s a scientific truth we’ll meet once more. And on inside it says: We’ll in all probability have doing jobs, although.
(LAUGHTER)
CONAN: That is a great one.
DICKERSON: Yeah, thanks.
CONAN: Yeah. I like that one. I like that one. Let’s go to Linda, and Linda’s on the road with us from Longmont in Colorado.
LINDA: Hello, there.
CONAN: Hello, Linda.
DICKERSON: Hey.
LINDA: Hello, Neal. I have been on 4 occasions, 5 together with now, and I needed to provide you among the best goodbye playing cards ever and simply to let you know that we love, love, love you, and we’ll miss you. And NPR’s loopy for canceling the present.
CONAN: Oh, nicely, thanks. That is very type of you to say, Linda, and we respect that.
(LAUGHTER)
CONAN: However come on, we will need to demand somewhat extra creativity from our viewers than that. You bought to inform us one of the best card you ever received, or you possibly can write one. All proper?
LINDA: Thanks. We love you, bye.
CONAN: Thanks very a lot, Linda. That is from Pat who’s writing us from St. Louis. After I was 15, I started working for my hometown newspaper. My job was trip rotation, so I labored in each division as folks took their day without work. On my rotation within the enterprise division, I had what was as much as then my most embarrassing second. After I shut the lavatory door, the doorknob fell off on either side, locking me in. The enterprise supervisor and I needed to match our respective knobs to free me. Oh, my. I needed to die. After I left the division a few weeks later, they gave me a farewell card, thanking me for my work. The greeting stated, we’ll maintain an evening mild on within the potty for you.
(LAUGHTER)
CONAN: Oh, my. She goes on to say TOTN of us, will miss you. Finest needs on your future endeavors. However that is very good.
DICKERSON: Oh, that is great. Sure. In order that’s one thing you could not write a card for even if you happen to deliberate it forward of time, you realize?
CONAN: And that is perhaps why that particular card – if you happen to’ve received someone who’s inventive in your division, that is actually one of the simplest ways to go versus, you realize, taking place for the pre-printed materials.
DICKERSON: Oh, completely. I imply, I am a giant fan, after all, of greeting card corporations and all of that. However these days, notably in a type of post-paper society, the explanation you ship a card is as a souvenir, as a token, as one thing you placed on the fridge, as one thing you retain on the mantle. And so that you need it to be private, one thing that resonates, and one of the simplest ways to try this is with a private contact, a private joke just like the knob. That is actually humorous, the night time mild.
CONAN: And there may be the opposite fascinating side of this. A lot of this seems to be in French.
Oh, actually.
Yeah. Bon voyage, adieu, au revoir.
DICKERSON: Oh, proper.
(LAUGHTER)
CONAN: A bientot.
DICKERSON: I hadn’t considered that. You are proper. That is humorous. The language of diplomacy can be the language of claiming so lengthy.
(LAUGHTER)
CONAN: Effectively, perhaps they’re related. This e mail from Gretchen in Oshkosh. Goodbye doesn’t suggest you will be forgotten. It means you will be missed.
DICKERSON: Oh, good.
CONAN: That is not too unhealthy.
DICKERSON: That is very good, yeah.
CONAN: Let’s examine if we go subsequent to – that is Ethan. Ethan with us from New Albany in Indiana.
ETHAN: Hello, Neal.
CONAN: Go forward, please.
ETHAN: Yeah. Get pleasure from your present a lot.
CONAN: Thanks.
ETHAN: At any time when I – I went out to highschool in Northern California, and I received a card from a very good buddy. And the cardboard simply had a single pine tree on it, coated in snow, and it stated, if you’re alone, do not forget that you are by no means actually alone, besides you’re alone, so very alone.
(LAUGHTER)
ETHAN: And it type of completely encapsulated what you are speaking about. It was like, there aren’t any actual goodbyes. I assume you are not going to die, so come again and don’t be concerned about it.
(LAUGHTER)
DICKERSON: I like that.
CONAN: So very alone.
DICKERSON: It is so great. It is fascinating, saying there is no goodbyes. A buddy of mine, I keep in mind, simply the opposite day posted on Fb, saying she was having a tough day. And 20 folks instantly chimed in to cheer her up, and he or she stated, my God, that truly labored.
(LAUGHTER)
ETHAN: And to me, it is wonderful what just a bit little bit of positivity and humor can do that will help you get by way of one thing.
DICKERSON: Amen to that.
CONAN: Ethan, thanks very a lot.
ETHAN: Thanks very a lot.
CONAN: Let’s examine. We go subsequent to – that is John, and John’s on the road with us from Redding in Pennsylvania.
JOHN: Neal, you are stunning, man. I am simply going to overlook you a lot.
CONAN: Thanks.
JOHN: However, yeah, it is nice to even get on the air. So for me, the concept was, what can I or what have I heard that basically motivated me to have a look at this in a constructive manner. As a result of if you received – once they took the exhibit the air, I received very resentful. And Clint Black wrote a tune known as “Leaving A Higher Man.” And the refrain is I am leaving right here a greater man, having recognized you this manner. Issues I could not do earlier than, now I do know I can, and I am leaving right here a greater man. And so the entire concept was as a substitute of specializing in the bitterness of being rejected as a result of the lady he cherished turned him away, he simply centered on what it had meant to know the particular person and to – and the way his life had modified. And so I feel the concept of specializing in what was good concerning the relationship is the sentiment I actually will take with me.
CONAN: Nation songwriters appear to have graduated from the Hallmark faculty.
DICKERSON: It’s. Really, I as soon as really did a lecture on that…
CONAN: Actually?
DICKERSON: …for Hallmark writers – nation songs as a result of, proper, they’re doing the identical factor, the identical type of construction.
CONAN: Hmm. Fascinating. John, thanks very a lot. Are you able to give us an instance?
DICKERSON: Oh, nicely, it is simply that – like, for instance, if you happen to take a look at – this could’ve been within the ’90s, so that you had – there have been two nation western songs about saying goodbye. And each of them made reference to the rearview mirror. One with the rearview mirror is torn off. I am by no means trying again. That was Jo Dee Messina. After which the opposite – I am blanking on her identify – had one about how I am not going to look within the mirror. So the metaphors go collectively, however one was up-tempo, one was sluggish tempo. And so you will have (unintelligible)
CONAN: One was main key, one a minor key.
DICKERSON: Other ways of doing the identical factor, and that is what greeting card writers need to discover ways to do. How can we inform the identical story once more?
CONAN: Once more and many times.
(LAUGHTER)
CONAN: Let’s examine. We go to Suzie. Suzie is with us from Wilmington in – the one in North Carolina.
SUZIE: That is proper. Thanks for taking my name. I used to be going to let you know concerning the best goodbye card ever. I obtained a framed bus ticket. I used to be leaving my first actual job out of faculty and shifting to a brand new metropolis. And my group of work-mates purchased a bus ticket from the brand new metropolis again to my previous metropolis, and so they framed it. They used all my nicknames once they addressed it to me. After which on the backside, it stated, in case of emergency, break glass and are available residence.
CONAN: Oh.
DICKERSON: Oh. That is stunning. Oh, my goodness. How lengthy have been you with these folks?
SUZIE: Effectively, it was a very long time in the past, but it surely was – I have never labored for that firm in over 20 years, and I used to be with them for 2 years so…
DICKERSON: Wow.
SUZIE: …it was fairly a pleasant ship off.
CONAN: After 10 years, did you get an SST ticket?
(LAUGHTER)
SUZIE: Effectively, you realize, occasions have been completely different then. I might crawl again sooner than I might take the bus now. However, you realize, that is OK.
DICKERSON: I nonetheless am curious. What trade was that that has that many good folks in it?
SUZIE: Effectively, it was, as you stated earlier than, inventive trade, and so they provide you with nice issues. It was a publication.
DICKERSON: Good.
CONAN: Suzie, thanks very a lot for the telephone name. And that is inspirational. That is inspirational.
SUZIE: Thanks.
CONAN: We’re – thanks. And we’re speaking with David Ellis Dickerson, the previous Hallmark greeting card author and creator of the YouTube sequence “Greeting Card Emergency.” You are listening to TALK OF THE NATION from NPR Information. Sharon’s on the road with us from Reno.
SHARON: Hey.
CONAN: Hello. You are on the air, Sharon.
SHARON: Hey. Hello. Thanks a lot for having me. I simply needed to say many, many thanks for years of great programming. And I’ve, yeah, been in the midst of Nevada, mapping underground. And I simply was telling your screener I’ve come up – made it a degree to at all times come up from underground to take heed to this system to attempt to contribute as a rule. I have been ready on the road to contribute, however – I am so grateful for the programming. It is gotten me by way of many tough days. And I am simply tremendous, tremendous appreciative, and I will miss you. Thanks a lot and thanks for being so gracious.
CONAN: Thanks a lot, Sharon.
SHARON: And it has been great.
CONAN: It’s extremely type of you – we started working that into card, by some means.
DICKERSON: Effectively, I used to be simply considering.
SHARON: I want you one of the best.
(LAUGHTER)
CONAN: Thanks.
DICKERSON: I used to be simply considering, what the earlier caller had stated about we’re leaving a greater man out. The methods you’ve got improved folks (unintelligible)
CONAN: (Unintelligible)
DICKERSON: Sure. One of many issues that is type of good is you, along with producing this program, apparently, have additionally elevated this girl’s publicity to daylight.
(LAUGHTER)
CONAN: So melanoma, she will blame me for.
DICKERSON: No. It is…
CONAN: It is an effective way to go.
DICKERSON: It is the vitamin D. It is great, and you do not – you did not even count on that to occur.
CONAN: This is an e mail from Corine(ph) in Portland: When getting ready to depart China after educating college college students for 3 years. Certainly one of my college students offered me with a small card and glass jar with some dried flowers and soil from the college grounds the place she’d studied I taught and we each lived.
DICKERSON: That is stunning.
CONAN: That is very nice. Let’s examine if we are able to go subsequent to – that is Katie, Katie on the road with us from Buffalo.
KATIE: Hello. Hey.
CONAN: Hello, Katie.
KATIE: I am an enormous fan of the present. It is so particular to me that I am attending to name you as we speak, of all days.
CONAN: Effectively, thanks very a lot for the dialing. What’s your greeting card?
KATIE: My greeting card was really made for me this yr for my birthday by my father. I dwell actually far-off from him, so I do not get to see him. Rising up, we’d at all times make my mother and father card for each event on the previous Print Store program that used to run on DOS on the pc. And I keep in mind. And this yr, my dad really recreated DOS on his laptop in order that he might add and placed on a brand new Print Store program. And he made me a selfmade, old-school Print Store card.
CONAN: Wow.
DICKERSON: That is sensible. Oh, my gosh.
KATIE: It was superior. It was so considerate, and it was such a throwback to our childhood. It was simply nice.
CONAN: Who remembers MS-DOS?
DICKERSON: That is wonderful.
KATIE: I do know.
DICKERSON: However what about that? We have been simply speaking about how one can by no means say goodbye to folks. We will not say goodbye to something. There’s in all probability – every little thing is accessible on-line proper now in some file, someplace.
(LAUGHTER)
KATIE: So long as you are able to do the pc magic, you can also make it occur for certain.
CONAN: Katie, thanks very a lot.
KATIE: In fact. Thanks a lot.
CONAN: Let’s go subsequent to – that is James, and James is on the road with us from Orlando.
JAMES: Thanks, Neal, for a few years of nice, fascinating tales. I had a girl break up with me, and I believed she was so gifted when she signed the cardboard, applaud, buddies. The comedy is over. So a few years later, I came upon that was the dying phrases of Beethoven, I consider.
(LAUGHTER)
JAMES: Additionally, Neal, what’s going to occur to the theme music? I journey rather a lot, and you weren’t in Orlando for a few years. However then, you lastly got here, and I heard the theme music come on and I stated, I’m tuned in. So what’s going to occur to the theme tune? Will SCIENCE FRIDAY retain it?
CONAN: I consider SCIENCE FRIDAY will retain it as a result of I do know Ira Flatow nicely, and he isn’t going to fee one other tune. However the – apart from that, you realize, perhaps it will find yourself on an internet site someplace. Who is aware of?
JAMES: Then you’ll dwell on perpetually in our hearts. Thanks.
CONAN: OK. Thanks very a lot. We respect it. Let’s examine…
DICKERSON: And possibly for a number of years too.
CONAN: In all probability. Keith is on the road with us from Fort Bragg in North Carolina.
KEITH: Hey. Hear, Neal. We love you a lot, man. And I simply need to let you realize, man, I am taping this so I can let my little grandkids hear that I talked to Neal, this well-known man. He is a reporter, and he at all times, he at all times made certain, in manner or the opposite, that he let black folks pay attention. Your legacy isn’t (unintelligible). You bought previous kingdom over there (unintelligible) and all that was occurring. These black of us operating their very own nation. And the final time you probably did it, you stated, the place is the (unintelligible) from? You had this man (unintelligible). And I stated, nicely, Neal, you are the best ever. And we love you, black, white, all people, man. We’ll miss you. We’ll miss you a lot. Man, I do not even need to begin crying on this telephone, brother. We love you, man, and also you maintain your self, Mr. Neal. OK, sir?
CONAN: I’ll try this, Keith. And I will dangle up or I will begin crying.
KEITH: You are the best, bro. You at all times made certain black folks pay attention. You someone. You at all times made certain we knew that. Thanks, sir. And we love you. Be good now, OK?
CONAN: I am going to do my greatest.
KEITH: Bye-bye.
CONAN: Bye-bye. So, David, earlier than we depart, we simply have about 30 seconds left. Something you need to depart us with?
DICKERSON: I had another card that I needed to speak about, that I considered doing for – that will likely be good for a job. It could be – on the surface, it says, you are leaving? That is so uncalled for. For those who needed a bunch of hugs, you can’ve simply requested.
(LAUGHTER)
DICKERSON: Having stated that, I really wrote a card for you, Neal.
CONAN: Oh.
DICKERSON: As you can see, it has somewhat canine on the surface.
CONAN: It does.
DICKERSON: And it says, no matter else you are doing subsequent, I already prefer it.
(LAUGHTER)
DICKERSON: Thanks for making this a pleasure too.
CONAN: David Ellis Dickerson, writer of “Home of Playing cards.” Thanks a lot for not simply this look, however for all of the others prior to now.
DICKERSON: Thanks for, you realize, all these years. It has been actually, actually great,.
CONAN: David Ellis Dickerson joined us right here in Studio 42. I assume it is SCIENCE FRIDAY tomorrow. I am Neal Conan. It is the TALK OF THE NATION from NPR Information.
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