I met Vera Yetter yesterday at Yoke's.
She insisted that, since I had only two items, I go in front of her in line at the check-out stand.
I insisted that I was okay with waiting.
Vera persisted with insisting.
So I took her place in line, and she took mine.
At that time, I had no idea who this nice person was.
So, I asked her name.
"Vera," she said.
"Vera who?" I asked.
"Vera Yetter," she responded.
"Do you by any chance have a daughter named Angie . . . and a daughter-in-law named Moriha?" I asked.
"Yes, I do," she said.
"Well, I taught Angie," I said.
After asking my name, she felt a sense of familiarity.
Along with the nice gesture of offering her place in line, those few words exchanged began a new friendship with a lady who told me that she has lived in the same house in Sandpoint for 44 years.
Just a simple story of people being nice and establishing a bond and a sense of familiarity, albeit brief.
It's a good thing, and worth repeating a millionfold.
As the Catholic hymn says, "If everyone lit just one little candle of friendship, what a bright world this would be."
Bill Peterson, retired FBI and Sandpoint High grad.
Bill Peterson grew up in our neighborhood on Gooby Road.
During that time he was a member of Sandpoint's Boy Scout Troop 111.
My husband Bill served as his scout leader. Last night in a text exchange, Bill state the following:
"I
think I mentioned this before but one of the most significant events in
my life was when Bill took the troop on a 50-mile hike in the Bitterroots.
"We all had to grow up fast, and that experience has carried with me
throughout my life and career."
Besides his scouting experiences, Bill was fascinated with the FBI, always watching the series where actor Efrem Zimbalist played an FBI agent .
Bill held on to his dream, went to college and served in the Navy before finally landing his career with the FBI, which began in 1999.
As an FBI officer, his focus was terrorism. His career took him all over the world.
In this podcast, he tells about two high-profile cases which defined his career.
Since retiring from the bureau in 2022, Bill has been working for Amazon security in the Los Angeles.
When I saw the podcast link on Bill's Facebook page, I asked if I could include it on my blog.
By all means, he said.
I have listened to the podcast and, to put it very mildly, Bill story about cases taking him to Kenya and Pakistan is compelling, riveting and amazing.
It will take an hour to hear it all but I can guarantee that every word shared is worth the listen.
Bill's story of this terrorist (identified in the link) below dramatically shows the tenacity, patience, skepticism and persistence needed to break a case.
Plus, Bill's experiences once more prove that, even if you grow up on a country road in little ol' Sandpoint, big dreams can come true and that they can be very rewarding personally.
I am extremely proud and honored to share the podcast above.
Enjoy.
💚💛💜💙
Also, it's Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, which means that today marks 41 years since our house burned to the ground on Dec. 20, 1984.
This day will live with us as long as we live because we saw the worst possible circumstance almost instantly turn into an eye-opening and inspirational view of the goodness of humanity.
We were recipients of generosity, kindness and love that day and during the days and months afterward, and we shall never forget.
Forty-one years later, thank you, Sandpoint and family and friends, for helping us put the pieces of our lives back together.
Happy Saturday. Stay safe.
.jpg)
No comments:
Post a Comment