Page 5 - Wayne Dispatch Pages
P. 5

WWJ, Continued from page 3         And I was blinking [back tears] that  that they were kind of level-headed  mail.  Well,  I  was  at  the  Biggby  in
                                             a nine-year-old would say that. And  and talking about this and trying to  Berkley, waiting for my coffee—there
          them down—one’s a boy and one’s a  I just thought, that says it all, right?  get through it.            were  probably,  like,  seven  people
          girl, not that it matters, but some-  Then I told them that there was noth-  CC: I constantly tell my children  ahead of me. And every time they got
          times I think the perspective may be  ing to be afraid of, he was in jail, that  that  kindness  matters—that  every-  their drink, they’d walk up to this
          different—and I had told them what  people were coming together, and if  one  is  carrying  around  something  man and say, “Thank you so much!”
          had  happened.  And  they  immedi-  they  had  any  questions  to,  please,  that no one else sees (i.e. challenges,  There was a mom with her daughter
          ately  said  that  they  do  those  lock-  ask me. Well, the next morning, I get  hardships, etc.) and keeping that in  and son, they went up to him and
          down  drills  all  the  time.  But  then  an  e-mail  from  the  principal  and  mind  is  a  form  of  compassion.  gave  him  a  fist-bump…I  just  kept
          they asked, “Is the bad guy going to  both of their teachers saying, “They  Which  brings  us  to  your  podcast,  standing there thinking, What is hap-
          come and get us?” I told them, “No,  [students] were all talking about this  WWJ Difference Maker. Tell us more  pening? So, I finally got my drink,
          he’s in jail, he’s only 15, and he can’t  already, but your kids are the ones  about it…                and I almost walked out [the store]—
          drive.” Then my son goes, “He can’t  who  told  them  it  was  going  to  be  BA: This feature, WWJ Difference  I literally had the door open—and I
          drive…but  he  can  shoot  people?”  okay.” So, it was pretty interesting  Maker, started over a year ago now,  turned  around,  and  I  said,  “Hey,  I
                                                                                and  runs  every  week.  I’ve  inter-  don’t want you to think this is weird,
                                                                                viewed individuals that are big cor-  but why is everyone saying thank you
                                                                                porate  people,  I’ve  interviewed  an  to you?” And he’s like, “Oh, it’s be-
                                                                                eleven-year-old kid who’s a big-time  cause I just bought all their drinks.”
                                                                                baker from Howell…there are just so  And I’m like, “Well…why?” And the
                                                                                many people out there who are mak-  conversation  went  on  from  there,
                                                                                ing  a  difference.  And  while  that  and I eventually told him who I was
                                                                                sounds cliché, it really isn’t—espe-  and why I was wondering. So then,
                                                                                cially  now  since  we’ve  noticed  it  we set up a phone call and I inter-
                                                                                more during the pandemic.         viewed him over the phone. But it’s
                                                                                  CC: Hands down, one of my fa-   just  so  interesting  because,  here’s
                                                                                vorite  episodes  of  WWJ  Difference  this  guy,  who’s  a  photographer  in
                                                                                Maker is the one that aired on De-  Southfield and is involved in a cou-
                                                                                cember 2, 2021 about the man at the  ple of different charities. But outside
                                                                                coffee shop. Tell us about Shawn Lee.  of that, he just sits in this Biggby and
                                                                                  BA: I usually receive nominations
                                                                                for Difference Maker through my e-                See WWJ,  page 6


















































                                                                                                                 The Wayne Dispatch · January 2022 · 5
   1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10