Tiger Beat - November 1969 (typed by Cindy M.)

My Son, Bobby (Part 2)
By Mrs. Robert Sherman

In another beautiful story from Bobby's childhood, Mrs. Sherman tells about Bobby's first interest in television and all the thoughtful little presents he used to make for her. A touching story from real life.

I can remember one family trip we took that Bobby just had a wonderful time on. My husband and I wanted to go to Las Vegas and we just wouldn't think of going anywhere without the children because we had so much fun with them along! Whatever we did, we did as a family and we liked it that way! So off we went to spend some time in Las Vegas. I can remember the kids having a ball in the hotel swimming pool, but for Bobby that wasn't the best part about the trip. We had some friends who worked at the local television station, KLAS and when we went to visit them down at the station, Bobby just flipped over all the camera equipment.

Well, our friends just loved him and they told him when he grew up he could come back and work for them. But that wasn't good enough for Bobby, he wanted to work for them right then! He would move cables, flip all the cue cards and help set up all the commercials. One commercial showed Spanish food and after they shot the commercial spot, they all ate Spanish food.

BOBBY'S BIG MOMENT - That afternoon, Louis Armstrong was coming down to the station for an interview. He was appearing at one of the local hotels and he had agreed to do this particular show at KLAS. He didn't bring his trumpet, so when they asked him to play a number on the air, he had to decline saying he didn't bring his trumpet. Well, it was Bobby's big moment. He ran out to our car and got his trumpet and ran right onto the stage with the trumpet. They all got such a big kick out of it and Louis Armstrong played Bobby's trumpet. It always seemed a little more special to him after that.

Naturally, when we got home from our Las Vegas trip, Bobby took off on one of his building sprees. This time he had to build a television camera. But he wasn't satisfied with the building a make believe camera, he wanted a "real" one with lenses, not just pretend magnifying glasses. So his dad got him some small lenses and Bobby set them up so you could see across the room and the image would come back and be upside down, just like on a real camera. He was just a little genius.

ALWAYS THOUGHTFUL - Another thing I'm so proud about Bobby is the way he was always so thoughtful. On his way home from school he'd often pass a field that had beautiful wild flowers growing everywhere and he'd never miss a day picking some flowers to bring home to me. I can also recall one of the first things Bobby ever made for me. Whenever I'd cook, I'd spill batter or shortening or something on the little recipe cards and one day Bobby noticed me doing this. He was just four years old at the time. So one day he went out to the garage and made me a little recipe holder. It was a little slanted piece of wood. It stood up from the counter and held the recipe at a slant so you could read it perfectly. Then I'd attach the recipe with a thumb tack. And he made the whole thing with his little toy took kit.

At school he made things for me too. One time for Mother's Day he took an old tobacco can and painted it bright red and with alphabet soup he spelled out "Roses are red, violets are blue, To my mother, I love you." That's just one little thing I can think of, but Bobby always seemed to be making something, candlestick holders, just anything so he could give me a present.

BOBBY'S IDEAS - Bobby was always so imaginative. The kids in the neighborhood would come over in the morning and wait on the steps until Bobby would come out to play. They'd say to Bobby, "What are we going to play today?" And he'd say, "Today we're going to be soldiers," or this or that.

I remember one funny incident which shows you how well Bobby minded and he never got upset when I'd be firm with him. This one day I heard him say something or other, I think they were going to dig a cave, and I looked out the window and I said, "No you aren't!" and he looked up and said, "Okay, we won't." One of the little boys said, "Why not?" And Bobby told him, "I don't do things my mother tells me I can't do. My dad, he barks, but he doesn't bite. (He had heard that expression.) But when my mom says something, you DO IT!"