Mr. D

Back in 1980, I was a wee one of 14 years. On this planet

At that time, I had 3 activities that I was profoundly fond of, and they were all related.

#1 Skipping school. Hated it

#2 Skipping out and heading to Henri's Music on College Ave. in Appleton to admire and tinker with Fender Stratocasters and black and gold Les Paul Custom's. The "Tuxedo of Guitars" as Les Paul himself called it. I'd mostly play the main line of "wipe-Out" as that was all I could actually play at the time.

#3: Leaving Henri's on my bike, skateboard, bus or on foot and heading up to 2144 W. Wisconsin Ave. Most people today think of it as "The Lullaby Shop" ; but back the it was the Appleton Harley shop.

I'd walk in, sometimes with my boon-box on my shoulder blasting whatever was cool at the time. More than once I know I had my trusty "British Steel" cassette going. "Living After Midnight". "Gleaming chrome, reflecting steel..."

Back in those days, the shop actually had very few bikes on display as the shop was tiny.

That was when I met Terry Doughty.

He would make mention of my age and apparent truancy, but, he'd let me hang out. Once in awhile I even got to follow him to the back where there were several beautiful machines getting worked on. I called him "Mr. D" because, well, I was a kid and didn't know his first name. And I was a kid and "Mr." was what was appropriate at the time, but I wasn't one to follow the rules so it was "Mr. D" instead of Mr. Doughty.

Many years later, in 2006 I got a job at Bala's Harley-Davidson in Mauston, WI. In 2008 I became the General Sales Manager which put me in charge of "Dealer Trades".

In late 2008 or early 2009, I got a call from Harley-Davidson of Appleton. We had a bike they needed for a customer. We were offered a comparable trade and I accepted.

Next day, guess who comes walking into my office with the paper work for the trade? 

Mr. D himself.

I recognized him immediately and said "Hey Mr. D!" He looked at me kinda funny, so I asked him if he remembered this kid that used to come in. He did!

I did quite a few trades with him after that, and he'd always come himself, and he'd always stop in to chat for a bit and talk about old times, people, and places. It was so, so strange to have him signing paperwork to get Harley's from me! 

When I was a kid, Terry mostly skipped the lectures about being there during school hours and would allow me to drool over his "gleaming chrome, reflecting steel". Probably unintentionally, he allowed my dreams to nurture and in so doing, gave me a little of what it took to see those dreams to fruition.

Not only did I end up with a Harley, I got to spend 15 years working in a great environment selling a product I loved.

I just got a message that Terry was killed on his bike in an accident in Tennessee.

Gone too soon. Like so many before, and unfortunately, so many yet to come.

But; he made a difference in a hell of a lot of lives. 

I'm grateful for the opportunity to have a relationship come full circle like ours did.

I'm also grateful for all I learned from a man who didn't know he was teaching.

A couple of months ago, I finally got myself a black and gold Les Paul Custom. "The Tuxedo of Guitars". I can also play a lot more than "Wipe-Out".

Hadn't yet decided on a name yet.

"Mr. D" works for me.

Thanks Terry.


 

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