Transcript
NEAL CONAN, HOST:
Looking forward to our final day, a lot of our mates and colleagues have been confronted with a dilemma. Properly, how do you say goodbye? For many people, discovering the proper phrases will be troublesome. 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 the most effective goodbye card you ever obtained? 800-989-8255. E-mail us: speak@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 gave the impression 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 recognize, we’re not going to see you, otherwise you’re going again to high school. You are following your desires. Proper. Yeah.
CONAN: Precisely. Once you left Hallmark, did anyone despatched you a card?
DICKERSON: Oh, in fact. Their playing cards…
(LAUGHTER)
DICKERSON: Folks purchase the playing cards per week upfront, it looks like. Everybody is aware of all the things beforehand. I used to be additionally considering – one other occasion that occurs rather a lot when individuals should say goodbye are momentary 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 usually, the farewell playing cards you get are issues like, it was nice working with you. We’ll see you once more, you recognize, I am trying ahead to – however all of them appeared to overlook – what I really like finest about this new world is that there is no goodbyes, you recognize?
I am on a street tour proper now, a cross-country, and I am staying with mates I’ve immediately been capable of keep in contact with, 10, 15, 20 years. There – in a manner, each goodbye is momentary. And I hoped to see extra playing cards that may – that replicate 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: In truth, 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 recognize, I do know that the majority card shops go straight into the strike zone. You recognize, they need the preferred sort of card, and that is typically going to be enterprise, you recognize, we’re sorry to see you go.
CONAN: Or flowers on the duvet, and…
DICKERSON: Precisely. Sure.
CONAN: The good factor – nicely, I will say – you recognize, there may be that class, people who find themselves gone endlessly…
DICKERSON: Sure.
(LAUGHTER)
CONAN: …however they don’t seem to be going to learn anymore playing cards.
DICKERSON: Precisely, precisely. In a manner, you may kind of miss on a card like that. You possibly can say no matter you need, and it isn’t going to matter.
(LAUGHTER)
DICKERSON: That really jogs my memory one of many playing cards I had in thoughts after I was desirous about a card for this, would – a card that may say one thing like on this, you recognize, Fb period, you recognize, how will you ever actually say goodbye? And on the within, it could say one thing like, however should you learn the way, please let me know, as a result of I’ve obtained stuff I have to do.
CONAN: It is even weirder that radio, which you consider as this ephemeral medium, that, you recognize, you place it on the air, it goes out. You watch for the critiques from Alpha Centauri.
DICKERSON: Yeah.
CONAN: The very fact is, all of these items is archived on the Net. All of these items goes to be round endlessly.
DICKERSON: Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh. That is wonderful. Properly, that was the opposite – as a result of my thoughts went to a scientific mode, as nicely, and I used to be desirous about the truth that – oh, I had one concept that mentioned 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 most likely have doing jobs, although.
(LAUGHTER)
CONAN: That is a very good 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: Hiya.
LINDA: Hello, Neal. I have been on 4 occasions, 5 together with now, and I needed to offer 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 sort of you to say, Linda, and we admire that.
(LAUGHTER)
CONAN: However come on, we will should demand slightly extra creativity from our viewers than that. You bought to inform us the most effective card you ever obtained, or you may 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. Once I was 15, I started working for my hometown newspaper. My job was trip rotation, so I labored in each division as individuals took their day without work. On my rotation within the enterprise division, I had what was as much as then my most embarrassing second. Once I shut the toilet 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. Once I left the division a few weeks later, they gave me a farewell card, thanking me for my work. The greeting mentioned, we’ll hold an evening mild on within the potty for you.
(LAUGHTER)
CONAN: Oh, my. She goes on to say TOTN of us, will miss you. Greatest needs to 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 should you deliberate it forward of time, you recognize?
CONAN: And that is possibly why that particular card – should you’ve obtained any person who’s inventive in your division, that is actually the easiest way to go versus, you recognize, taking place for the pre-printed materials.
DICKERSON: Oh, completely. I imply, I am an enormous fan, in fact, of greeting card firms and all of that. However these days, significantly in a sort of post-paper society, the explanation you ship a card is as a memento, 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 the easiest way to do this is with a private contact, a private joke just like the knob. That is actually humorous, the evening 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 also be the language of claiming so lengthy.
(LAUGHTER)
CONAN: Properly, possibly 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. Take pleasure in your present a lot.
CONAN: Thanks.
ETHAN: At any time when I – I went out to high school in Northern California, and I obtained a card from a extremely good pal. And the cardboard simply had a single pine tree on it, coated in snow, and it mentioned, once you’re alone, do not forget that you are by no means actually alone, besides you might be alone, so very alone.
(LAUGHTER)
ETHAN: And it sort of completely encapsulated what you are speaking about. It was like, there are not 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 pal of mine, I bear in mind, simply the opposite day posted on Fb, saying she was having a tough day. And 20 individuals instantly chimed in to cheer her up, and he or she mentioned, my God, that really labored.
(LAUGHTER)
ETHAN: And to me, it is wonderful what just a bit little bit of positivity and humor can do that can assist you get by 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 lovely, 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 thought was, what can I or what have I heard that actually motivated me to have a look at this in a optimistic manner. As a result of once you obtained – once they took the exhibit the air, I obtained very resentful. And Clint Black wrote a tune referred to 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 thought was as an alternative of specializing in the bitterness of being rejected as a result of the girl he beloved 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 believe the thought of specializing in what was good in regards to the relationship is the sentiment I actually will take with me.
CONAN: Nation songwriters appear to have graduated from the Hallmark college.
DICKERSON: It’s. Truly, I as soon as truly 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 sort 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, should you take a look at – this might’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 title – 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 gradual tempo. And so you’ve got (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 should discover ways to do. How can we inform the identical story once more?
CONAN: Once more and repeatedly.
(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 in regards to the biggest goodbye card ever. I acquired 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 outdated metropolis, they usually framed it. They used all my nicknames once they addressed it to me. After which on the backside, it mentioned, in case of emergency, break glass and are available house.
CONAN: Oh.
DICKERSON: Oh. That is lovely. Oh, my goodness. How lengthy have been you with these individuals?
SUZIE: Properly, it was a very long time in the past, but it surely was – I have not 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: Properly, you recognize, occasions have been completely different then. I may crawl again sooner than I may take the bus now. However, you recognize, that is OK.
DICKERSON: I nonetheless am curious. What business was that that has that many good individuals in it?
SUZIE: Properly, it was, as you mentioned earlier than, inventive business, they usually 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: Hiya.
CONAN: Hello. You are on the air, Sharon.
SHARON: Hiya. 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 course of Nevada, mapping underground. And I simply was telling your screener I’ve come up – made it a degree to all the time come up from underground to take heed to this system to attempt to contribute most of the time. I have been ready on the road to contribute, however – I am so grateful for the programming. It is gotten me by 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 is very sort of you – we started working that into card, by some means.
DICKERSON: Properly, I used to be simply considering.
SHARON: I want you the most effective.
(LAUGHTER)
CONAN: Thanks.
DICKERSON: I used to be simply considering, what the earlier caller had mentioned about we’re leaving a greater man out. The methods you have improved individuals (unintelligible)
CONAN: (Unintelligible)
DICKERSON: Sure. One of many issues that is sort of good is you, along with producing this program, apparently, have additionally elevated this woman’s publicity to daylight.
(LAUGHTER)
CONAN: So melanoma, she will be able to blame me for.
DICKERSON: No. It is…
CONAN: It is a good way to go.
DICKERSON: It is the vitamin D. It is great, and you do not – you did not even anticipate that to occur.
CONAN: Here is an e-mail from Corine(ph) in Portland: When getting ready to go away China after instructing college college students for 3 years. One in all my college students introduced 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 lovely.
CONAN: That is very nice. Let’s examine if we will go subsequent to – that is Katie, Katie on the road with us from Buffalo.
KATIE: Hello. Hiya.
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: Properly, thanks very a lot for the dialing. What’s your greeting card?
KATIE: My greeting card was truly made for me this yr for my birthday by my father. I dwell actually distant from him, so I do not get to see him. Rising up, we’d all the time make my mother and father card for each event on the outdated Print Store program that used to run on DOS on the pc. And I bear in mind. And this yr, my dad truly recreated DOS on his pc in order that he may add and placed on a brand new Print Store program. And he made me a do-it-yourself, 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 individuals. We won’t say goodbye to something. There’s most likely – all the things is accessible on-line proper now in some file, someplace.
(LAUGHTER)
KATIE: So long as you are able to do the pc magic, you may make it occur for certain.
CONAN: Katie, thanks very a lot.
KATIE: After all. 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 assumed she was so gifted when she signed the cardboard, applaud, mates. 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 is 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 mentioned, I’m tuned in. So what is 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 recognize, possibly it’s going to find yourself on a web site someplace. Who is aware of?
JAMES: Then you’ll dwell on endlessly in our hearts. Thanks.
CONAN: OK. Thanks very a lot. We admire 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. Pay attention, Neal. We love you a lot, man. And I simply wish to let you recognize, 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 all the time, he all the time made certain, in manner or the opposite, that he let black folks pay attention. Your legacy will not be (unintelligible). You bought outdated kingdom over there (unintelligible) and all that was occurring. These black of us working their very own nation. And the final time you probably did it, you mentioned, the place is the (unintelligible) from? You had this man (unintelligible). And I mentioned, nicely, Neal, you are the best ever. And we love you, black, white, everyone, man. We’ll miss you. We’ll miss you a lot. Man, I do not even wish to begin crying on this telephone, brother. We love you, man, and also you handle your self, Mr. Neal. OK, sir?
CONAN: I’ll try this, Keith. And I will hold up or I will begin crying.
KEITH: You are the best, bro. You all the time made certain black individuals pay attention. You any person. You all the time made certain we knew that. Thanks, sir. And we love you. Be good now, OK?
CONAN: I will do my finest.
KEITH: Bye-bye.
CONAN: Bye-bye. So, David, earlier than we go away, we simply have about 30 seconds left. Something you wish to go away us with?
DICKERSON: I had yet one more card that I needed to speak about, that I considered doing for – that shall be good for a job. It will be – on the skin, it says, you are leaving? That is so uncalled for. In the event you needed a bunch of hugs, you would’ve simply requested.
(LAUGHTER)
DICKERSON: Having mentioned that, I truly wrote a card for you, Neal.
CONAN: Oh.
DICKERSON: As you would see, it has slightly canine on the skin.
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, creator of “Home of Playing cards.” Thanks a lot for not simply this look, however for all of the others up to now.
DICKERSON: Thanks for, you recognize, 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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