‘Your Hoosier Pal’

The gift of knowing Sherm Johnson

The Indiana State Fair in 2015 (Wikimedia Commons)

One of my favorite correspondents, and favorite people, was Sherm Johnson. Is Sherm Johnson. The past tense can be offensive, obnoxious. Several months ago, Sherm told me that he was deathly ill. He said that his wife would contact me when the time came. Would notify me.

I got a text from Carol earlier this week.

Oh, what a spirit, what a guy, Sherm Johnson! He lived in Carmel, Ind. He would sign himself “Your Hoosier pal,” or “Your Hoosier cheerleader.” He once signed, “Your pal from the land of endless wonder ...”

He was born in Michigan, though—Grand Rapids. Went to Michigan State. Played on the baseball team. Here is a note from him:

Mickey Lolich is my all-time favorite Tiger. Al Kaline is a solid #2.

I replied,

Sherm, you could not have known this, but—there were two posters on my bedroom door: of Ludwig van Beethoven and Mickey Lolich.

Sherm answered,

Your selection of heroes is impeccable!

A thumbs-up emoji followed the exclamation point.

We had kind of a running gag. Sherm wanted me to attend the Indiana State Fair in August, instead of going to the Salzburg Festival, in Austria (where I have worked every summer since 2002). He was always saying I needed to see the Swine Barn, and the associated competitions. “Exceptional people-watching too!” he said.

I never made it to the Indiana State Fair (although I did attend, and write about, the New York State Fair). Still, I received a good number of pictures from Sherm—of Hoosiers both porcine and human.

Here is another taste of the man and his spirit:

Hi, Jay,

Just got back from visiting the Christkindlmarkt—where two sausages and two hot chocolates set me back $45.

Must be paying for the festive atmosphere!

With that note, he included a picture and said,

The large building on the left is the Palladium, a spectacular concert venue. You should really visit it. Lincoln Center, it’s not—but it’s pretty good for Carmel.

He signed, “Your Hoosier elf.”

More from Sherm (with his knack for a sign-off):

In weather news, a tornado touched down in my beloved Carmel last Wednesday. No major damage, but even this shining city in the cornfield is not immune to the wrath of nature.

With an eye to the sky,
Sherm

He liked to travel “up North,” as we Michiganders say: to Traverse City, Charlevoix, Mackinac Island, etc. He once mailed me a box of fudge from Joann’s (a Mackinac Island institution). That was so Sherm.

Here is a picture of Sherm with his daughter, Lauren, in Northern Michigan (complete with trademark dunes):

In his last months, his spirit continued to shine—brighter than ever, it seemed to me. Sherm was brave. I could hear it in his voice, on the phone, and I could hear it in e-mails, too.

Get this:

Hi, Jay:

Today, my two brothers-in-law drove from Wyoming, Mich., bearing gifts!

Truly a feast!

Bursting at the seams,
Sherm

Have a look at what his brothers-in-law had brought:

While he was “going over a box of papers,” as he said, he found a letter, and he took a picture of it for me. It was from William F. Buckley Jr. (dated October 27, 1993). Sherm had written WFB to tell him, among other things, this: “My wife is concerned that your shirts are wrinkled when you appear on Firing Line.”

WFB’s reply:

Just a note, however belated, to tell you how deeply I appreciated your generous—and charming—letter. And tell Mrs. Johnson I will try to reform.

“Generous” and “charming”—those were two of Sherm’s qualities, for sure.

One of the last trips he made was to East Lansing—home of the Michigan State Spartans—to visit the ballpark. The Spartans’ current head baseball coach, Jake Boss, was among those who accompanied him.

You would have loved Sherm. I think all of us who knew him did. And I’m sure we told him that, repeatedly. He was such a giver of love. An expresser of it.

Earlier this month, he wrote,

Hi, Jay:

Here’s to your joy and happiness!

Today my wonderful wife had to transport me to appointments.

She asked what was wanted for lunch. I said that IKEA was an option for meatballs. With my condition, it has been hard to find food I can eat. Also, I discovered that peach-colored napkins were in need at my house.

This shows that man is subject to consumer forces even as he faces his demise!

You’re the best, Jay!

Thanks for being the saint you are.

Sherm

Well, I am lagging far behind Sherm Johnson, but he set a good example, and I’m grateful to have crossed his path. He was, is, one of those gifts, those shafts of light, that come into our lives.