Sitting on the bench (who would you chat with)

Sitting on the bench (who would you chat with)

This is a tough choice.

ignatz ignatz
Jul '14

I only grandparent I ever knew was my maternal grandmother. I'd like to meet my other three grandparents that died before I was born.

JerryG JerryG
Jul '14

I would choose to sit there w/my dad who passed away almost 8 years ago (His anniversary date is 7/29). Kind of depressing, but I never got to say goodbye and I would love that 1 hour to have some closure.

sunshinenj sunshinenj
Jul '14

I cannot take credit for my answer, yet I know instantly exactly what it is. My mother was asked a similar type thing 20 years ago for a newspaper column. It's one of those regular space fillers that asks "the question of the day". One time it was "if you could meet any one person in history who would it be?". Because my mom was already asked questions of the newspaper because of her job, and because she worked very close to the county courthouse where the newspaper stopped people, they pointed their microphone her way. Her answer was instantaneous where my one would have been quite delayed. Jesus? Buddha? Confucius? The wise men of the past or even just historical figures? No. My answer like hers without hesitation is Johannes L. Blattenberger.

He is our ancestor. Our gr gr gr gr gr grandfather born in the 1680's in Bavaria but run away from home at the age of 14, taken in by Mennoites (the 1700 equivalent of Moonies) married at 16 and off to America at 20. WTF?? Catholic married to Protestant is just unheard of at that time. And Mennonite is as radical as you could ever get at that juncture. And then a 16 year old boy married to a 24 woman would be well beyond even the most permissive of the time. Then shipped off on a dangerous journey across the sea? The 24 year old Mennonite lady converted to be Moravian at least left us some information. But when he renounced ideologies 4 different times, he left behind nothing other than a legacy of non-conformity.

So when I cross the bridge, I know I will express enormous gratitude with open arms to a number of people who may never have known they helped. I've traveled the world and lived in countries enough to throw one righteous cast party. Yet the one single person who I will sit and hold a voluminous conversation with is one Johannes L Blattenberger. At least for me, the single person in history that tops all others.


My Wife. She is in Gods hands and I hope to meet her there.

Old Gent Old Gent
Jul '14

love it guys - may God Bless your Wife, Mother and Father and grandparent - I would say I would like to sit with both my parents. tell them what I have become and hope that they would be proud of me. I would tell them how much I loved them and apologize for how stupid I was as a kid.

Skippy Skippy
Jul '14

my dad --- never did spend much time talking to him- but he loved photography and since he died, I've taken up digital photography. I'd love to show him my work and tell him all about digital work and editing. It would be amazing to have something in common with him now to talk about....................

5catmom 5catmom
Jul '14

It would be my only sister Betty who passed away 6 years ago. Until that time we were inseparable...lived our entire lives not much more than a hour away from each other. Never missed a Christmas, birthday, happy and sad times...together. I have six years of making up to do.

joyful joyful
Jul '14

My Dad, undoubtedly.....he passed away 11 years ago while I was expecting his first grandchild. I would give anything to spend an hour with him and telling him all about my son and daughter. Oh, how he would adore them!

Mom of 1&1 Mom of 1&1
Jul '14

Leonardo da Vinci, to show him how many of his inventions have materialized. I'd have a helicopter do a flyover.

Rebecka Rebecka
Jul '14

Absolutley love and admire Da Vinci Rebecka!

Ignatz- Thank you for such a meaningful thoughtful thread that really makes you think and realize what's important and possibly missed.

I would most certainly sit with my dad who died at a young age from Lou Gehrig's disease. He was a very kind gentle soul that loved nature and animals but was misunderstood by many people.

I feel as though I'm his carbon copy. I would tell him that I'm one of the few that does understand him and that I admire him and love him. I never had the chance to tell him that.

positive positive
Jul '14

My Dad.......he died so suddenly. I never would forget to say I love you or how much I appreciated him I would just want him to meet the granddaughter he never got to meet. Its been almost 20 years since he is gone and feels like yesterday I just talked to him.

Christine Christine
Jul '14

Even though there are SO many people I would love to spend that hour with, from philosophers like Nietzsche, Aristotle, Socrates and John S. Mill to Religious/Political leaders such as Jesus, Buddha, Mohammed, Martin Luther, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Mahatma Ghandi, to Inventors/Mathematicians/Astronomers such as Copernicus, Marya Sklodowska-Curie, Nicola Tesla, Archimedes, DaVinci, Bob Crooks, Isaac Newton, Ben Franklin, to all the rest of our Founding Fathers (to clarify a heck of a lot of things), to all my ancestors, especially those who were pivotal in my family history, there is just one person who would outweigh them all, and that's a very close friend who passed away at far too young an age last September. There are so many things that needed to be asked and said that, if I'd have known she would have been suddenly gone, I would want to make sure they WERE asked and said.

Phil D. Phil D.
Jul '14

I would probably like to chat with my grandparents and any relative or friend of mine who passed away. I guess I'll need a bigger bench

springlover springlover
Jul '14

A good way to ask the question would be, if you could meet with anybody not related to you, who would you like to spend that hour with?

I'd choose Martin Luther King, Jr.

Andy Loigu Andy Loigu
Jul '14

Clint Eastwood. It would make my day. ;-)

Calico696 Calico696
Jul '14

My sister. Lost her too soon.

botheredbyuu2 botheredbyuu2
Jul '14

I would love to sit on this bench with my son and for him to actually be able to express himself and for me to understand what he is saying. That would be so wonderful!

Andrew's Mom Andrew's Mom
Jul '14

BBU- I'm very sorry about your sister.

positive positive
Jul '14

Kate Upton... I figure we'd run out of things to say in about 5 minutes and would have to think of some other way to pass the other 55 minutes.

ianimal ianimal
Jul '14

Thanks positive.

botheredbyuu2 botheredbyuu2
Jul '14

My dad. He passed before I was "adult" enough to go for him for any adult/life advice.... SO many things I wish I could have asked my dad about these last 20 years....

JeffersonRepub JeffersonRepub
Jul '14

you guys never cease to amaze me - we have a great core group - much love :)

Skippy Skippy
Jul '14

Benjamin Franklin - Thomas Jefferson - Steve Jobs - Warren Buffet - George Harrison - Several old friends that I lost touch with or left this world... Dali Lama... hmmm should I keep on going ... guess I have stuff on my mind....

LiberyThinker LiberyThinker
Jul '14

I would talk to the guy known as Aqua Lung

ow conected to the ow conected to the
Jul '14

Jethro Tull ?

Skippy Skippy
Jul '14

I love how most of us said family members.

Christine Christine
Jul '14

Is there a liquor store near the bench? I'd like to have a beer with Clint as well. ;-)

Calico696 Calico696
Jul '14

Too funny Calico..love it!

positive positive
Jul '14

The mature answer: my grandmother on my mother's side. She's the only grandparent I knew. My grandfather (her husband) died when my mom was 13. I would love to talk to her shortly after that point and see/hear/understand how she managed to collect herself and provide for her family. She was this tiny woman who ended up pushing a food cart around to make a living for her children.

The immature answer: The LoHo Anaconda - what motivates him, what's his thoughts on the media coverage, what does he prefer to dine on - poodle, pigeon? Stuff like that.

emaxxman emaxxman
Jul '14

Re: Sitting on the bench (who would you chat with)

These two people would make for an interesting conversation. It helps to have appropriate music. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhuMLpdnOjY

Hugh
Jul '14

I wonder if they brought their lunch from Shoprite.


It would be my mother, it's been 21 years, and I miss her everyday, and so much to tell her,and to ask her, yes, it would be my mom.....

bowie bowie
Jul '14

My dad. He passed away when I was only 2. I always hear stories about how much he loved and took care of me. Would love to hear it from him :(

luvjazz luvjazz
Jul '14

I am sure he loves you madly

Skippy Skippy
Jul '14

great bench music lol

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHfSpggrHjI&list=RDfHfSpggrHjI#t=3

Skippy Skippy
Jul '14

Re: Sitting on the bench (who would you chat with)

I might like to talk to this guy on a park bench.

Hugh
Jul '14

My godson who moved away 3 days ago. I miss his little voice already. Is it horrible to wish they hate Florida and come home before Christmas??

JrzyGirl88 JrzyGirl88
Jul '14

Bumping up this thread because it was such a great one, and there are many new posters we might hear from.

I'd also now love to sit and chat with Steve Jobs. Anyone else add someone to their bench wishlist since posting last year?

Rebecka Rebecka
Nov '15

In addition to my only sister Betty, who passed away 7 years ago, I would now also love to have a chat with my deceased Uncle Floyd (my last Uncle) who passed away a year ago. He was my Mother's brother and always my favorite Uncle growing up and such fun to be around. He used to ride us kids around in his new convertible and bought me my very first Dairy Queen... Whenever he would see me, he would get out his harmonica and play " You are my Sunshine" and I would sing the song back to him. Miss you, Uncle Floyd in Heaven...

joyful joyful
Nov '15

This is probably really dumb, but God. That way, I could ask Him about the future and the past since he sees everything!
Sorry for not having as interesting or moving of an answer as everyone else!

1988LJ 1988LJ
Nov '15

Not dumb at all 1988LJ..can't get anymore meaningful than sitting with God.

I'd like to sit with my deceased father and ask him what went wrong, but reassure him that he did the best he could and I know he has an amazing heart. I'd also like to sit with my deceased grandma and tell her that I still respect her and that she was a very prominent figure in my life.

positive positive
Nov '15

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