The Beaver Dam

Let's Go See the Beaver Dam 

story told to me by my MOM (Abbie) about their "foster child" Lenny

Two-year-old Lenny was legally blind. He could see light, but very little else. He was born prematurely and was placed in an oxygen tent, which robbed him of his sight. Through his first years he had a few surgeries, which offered help, but never a cure.

So he went through life asking for help reading street car signs, telling bus drivers which stop he wanted, and asking directions.

When he spent summers with us at our home in New Brighton one of his favorite things to do was to walk several blocks down the street and across the bridge to see the Beaver Dam.

He thrilled at the sight and sound of water rushing and being thrown over the dam. He would tell my DAD (Uncle Dave) that he wanted to go see the Beaver Dam. (He pronounced it Beeffer Dam.) Daddy would do his best to accommodate Lenny, but 

sometimes he was too tired. This was one of those occasions, so Daddy said, "I'm too tired to walk that far, but how about we go and get and ice cream cone instead?

Disappointed, Lenny responded, "No, I want to go to see the Beefer Dam." So Daddy agreed, and off they the two of them went -- to see the Beaver Dam. It was just one of those times when he couldn't say NO! Lenny was just TOO IMPORTANT.