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Sign of spring: Make way for ducklings

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By Bill Wundram | Monday, May 12, 2008 11:38 AM CDT | () comments

THERE will be more springtime stories like this along our streets, boulevards and sidewalks.

“On my way to work, I was perplexed to see a white four-door car blocking part of my turning lane, and some of the lane to the right,” says Jennifer Agan, Davenport.

“It wasn’t until the driver went through the intersection — with the light still red — that I thought, ‘How ridiculous.’

“Then, the driver stopped her car in the middle of traffic. As I got a green arrow to turn left onto Kimberly Road, I saw her get out of the car. I thought, ‘Is she crazy?’

“And then I saw them, a mama duck and her ducklings marooned on and around the median. With traffic behind me, I was forced to drive on, but in my rear view mirror I saw this woman risk her life — or at least getting a ticket — while she stopped traffic. With one hand, she shooed the family across the street. My heart nearly burst with this act of kindness and bravery. I hope all of us will remember that it takes only one person to change the lives of many.”

Even a mama and ducklings.

Getting her hair shorn for Johnny Depp

Actor Johnny Depp is roaming MidAmerica, playing the role of triggerman John Dillinger in the movie, “Public Enemies.” It’s being filmed in Wisconsin and Illinois, where Dillinger was most notorious.

Amy Hockridge Braunlich, former Davenporter now living in Chicago, was casually asked by a friend, “How about being an extra in a film with Johnny Depp?” She thought it would be fun. There were 134 who showed up; 30 were picked and Amy was one of them. The movie people cut 3 inches off her long hair, dyed it black, and dolled her up in a 1930s outfit. She was filmed inside a theater in Chicago and told her parents — Bob and Annalee Hockridge of Davenport — that the only thing they’ll probably see in the movie is the back of her head.

Amy was paid $65 for her day’s work. “It was worth it, just to meet Depp; he’s very sociable,” she says.

THEN, THERE’S Deb Carlton, a nurse from Bettendorf, who has a whole room of Depp memorabilia. “He’s my idol,” she says. She met Depp in Columbus. Wis., during filming of “Public Enemies” and says she’s going to traipse up to Oshkosh, Wis., this week to watch more filming.

First joke of the weak

From Dave Chambers, your friendly Bettendorf undertaker …

Grandpa was mentoring his grandson on the secret of living a long and productive life: “Every morning, sprinkle a teaspoon of gunpowder on your oatmeal.”

Well, when grandpa died at the age of 97, he left six children, 33 grandchildren, 48 great-grandchildren — and a 25-foot hole where the crematory used to be.

Get him to the church on time — in the mud!

“Your column about muddy roads hit my growing-up days on a farm near Fairfield, Iowa.” says Arlene Jens, Davenport. “I just found, in my mother’s box of memorabilia, a handwritten account about muddy hills, written by my dad in 1916. He describes that he was taking a minister over muddy hills to the Swedish country church in Salina, Iowa. They were in a cart pulled by a horse. At the top of the steepest of the hills, the horse stopped and would go no more. Dad writes that even the horse knew when to stop. My father had to get out of the cart and to pull the horse and cart so the preacher could get to church on time.”

ill Wundram can be contacted at (563) 383-2249 or bwundram@qctimes.com. Comment on this column at qctimes.com.