Every so often, a man comes along who is comfortable in his own skin. I rarely actually meet such a man, but here you see one! Let me introduce you to Steve Parke. And see that guitar hanging off his shoulder? He can play that! And he can sing! And sometimes he lets me sing with him. Usually that happens when he is at the Peace Flotilla at the nature center in the fall. Everyone goes down to the river to launch the floats and we wail away. Here he is at the courthouse steps where the faith leaders were holding a rally to ask for civility in our discussions on gun control. Steve is a retired minister and is often found at any gathering for anything that even faintly resembles civil rights and that means any civil right for any human, animal, or anything that comes up.
And he plays that guitar and sings for Mothers Day Out at our church. He is now working on publishing his second album. Don't know what it is called, but do know that I will be in line for one of the first ones sold! Then I can sing along with him all day!
He can travel to Ireland in search of his roots, come home with a slide show of epic proportions and make us all feel like we had gone there with him! Ireland is beautiful and he is proud of his roots! Steve is one of the best story tellers I have encountered and I have known a few! He is at home in the coffee shops, nursing homes, church meetings, ski slopes, gym, river walk, and anywhere he points his little nose. And girls, he is single!
But at our fundraiser at the church last Saturday, Theresa caught a side of Steve that we had never seen. Now I am not sure that he was setting at this vanity because he was thinking about purchasing it, or just wanted to get off his feet for a break, or what was in his mind, but we got quite a kick out of this and I did promise him that I would present him in a good light. I at first thought he had a necklace there, but if you look closely it is his phone. His shirt has a Coors Light advertisement on the back. He did not wear the one I like that says "Well, just because beer makes everything easier."
So I present to you Mr. Steve Parke, retired from the work he did at the State Hospital, retired from active ministry, but always on hand to help his fellow man, brighten our day, or pet a stray kitty on the street. A Godly man and one loved by everyone whose life he touches and touching more lives then even he knows!
I will let you know when his new album is out and will make it available in my store if he lets me, or if he doesn't, I know how to photo shop and that cell phone may turn into a tube of lipstick!
Love you, Steve!
