NEAL CONAN, HOST:
Waiting for our final day, a lot of our associates and colleagues have been confronted with a dilemma. Effectively, how do you say goodbye? For many people, discovering the best phrases may be tough. And when inspiration fails and panic units in, properly, we regularly flip to the lengthy racks of greeting playing cards. So we have requested former Hallmark greeting card author and creator of the YouTube sequence “Greeting Card Emergency” David Ellis Dickerson. He’ll be part of us in a second. However what’s the very best goodbye card you ever acquired? 800-989-8255. Electronic mail us: speak@npr.org. David Ellis Dickerson, with us right here in Studio 42. Good to have you ever again on this system.
DAVID ELLIS DICKERSON: It is a pretty to be again, Neal.
CONAN: And I’ve to say, broadly talking, there appeared to be two classes. Hey, congratulations, you are shifting on, or, oh, I am so sorry.
DICKERSON: Proper, proper. There’s the you bought fired and, you already know, we’re not going to see you, otherwise you’re going again to highschool. You are following your desires. Proper. Yeah.
CONAN: Precisely. Once you left Hallmark, did anyone despatched you a card?
DICKERSON: Oh, after all. Their playing cards…
(LAUGHTER)
DICKERSON: Individuals purchase the playing cards every week prematurely, it looks as if. Everybody is aware of all the things beforehand. I used to be additionally considering – one other occasion that occurs loads when folks need to say goodbye are non permanent gigs, like tv or theater or placing collectively one thing like that, camp. And so it is an fascinating problem, as a result of so typically, the farewell playing cards you get are issues like, it was nice working with you. We’ll see you once more, you already know, I am trying ahead to – however all of them appeared to overlook – what I really like greatest about this new world is that there is not any goodbyes, you already know?
I am on a highway tour proper now, a cross-country, and I am staying with associates I’ve all of the sudden been capable of keep in contact with, 10, 15, 20 years. There – in a means, each goodbye is non permanent. And I hoped to see extra playing cards that might – that mirror that.
CONAN: Have you ever seen any?
DICKERSON: I do not store at card shops that a lot anymore…
CONAN: Oh, actually?
DICKERSON: …as a result of I am in my very own head.
(LAUGHTER)
DICKERSON: Actually, most greeting playing cards writers do not buy greeting playing cards. They write their very own.
CONAN: They write their very own?
DICKERSON: Yeah. However, you already know, I do know that the majority card shops go straight into the strike zone. You understand, they need the most well-liked sort of card, and that is usually going to be enterprise, you already know, we’re sorry to see you go.
CONAN: Or flowers on the duvet, and…
DICKERSON: Precisely. Sure.
CONAN: The good factor – properly, I’ll say – you already know, there may be that class, people who find themselves gone endlessly…
DICKERSON: Sure.
(LAUGHTER)
CONAN: …however they don’t seem to be going to learn anymore playing cards.
DICKERSON: Precisely, precisely. In a means, you may kind of miss on a card like that. You possibly can say no matter you need, and it is not going to matter.
(LAUGHTER)
DICKERSON: That truly jogs my memory one of many playing cards I had in thoughts once I was fascinated by a card for this, would – a card that might say one thing like on this, you already know, Fb period, you already know, how are you going to ever actually say goodbye? And on the within, it might say one thing like, however for those who learn the way, please let me know, as a result of I’ve acquired stuff I have to do.
CONAN: It is even weirder that radio, which you consider as this ephemeral medium, that, you already know, you set it on the air, it goes out. You await the evaluations from Alpha Centauri.
DICKERSON: Yeah.
CONAN: The very fact is, all of these items is archived on the Net. All of these items goes to be round endlessly.
DICKERSON: Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh. That is superb. Effectively, that was the opposite – as a result of my thoughts went to a scientific mode, as properly, and I used to be fascinated by the truth that – oh, I had one concept that mentioned one thing like: Matter can’t be created or destroyed. Each particle in our physique is immortal and can survive.
(LAUGHTER)
DICKERSON: It’s a scientific truth we are going to meet once more. And on inside it says: We’ll most likely have doing jobs, although.
(LAUGHTER)
CONAN: That is a superb one.
DICKERSON: Yeah, thanks.
CONAN: Yeah. I like that one. I like that one. Let’s go to Linda, and Linda’s on the road with us from Longmont in Colorado.
LINDA: Hello, there.
CONAN: Hello, Linda.
DICKERSON: Good day.
LINDA: Hello, Neal. I have been on 4 occasions, 5 together with now, and I needed to offer you among the best goodbye playing cards ever and simply to let you know that we love, love, love you, and we’ll miss you. And NPR’s loopy for canceling the present.
CONAN: Oh, properly, thanks. That is very sort of you to say, Linda, and we respect that.
(LAUGHTER)
CONAN: However come on, we will need to demand a little bit extra creativity from our viewers than that. You bought to inform us the very best card you ever acquired, or you may write one. All proper?
LINDA: Thanks. We love you, bye.
CONAN: Thanks very a lot, Linda. That is from Pat who’s writing us from St. Louis. After I was 15, I started working for my hometown newspaper. My job was trip rotation, so I labored in each division as folks took their day off. On my rotation within the enterprise division, I had what was as much as then my most embarrassing second. After I shut the toilet door, the doorknob fell off on each side, locking me in. The enterprise supervisor and I needed to match our respective knobs to free me. Oh, my. I needed to die. After I left the division a few weeks later, they gave me a farewell card, thanking me for my work. The greeting mentioned, we’ll maintain an evening mild on within the potty for you.
(LAUGHTER)
CONAN: Oh, my. She goes on to say TOTN people, will miss you. Finest needs on your future endeavors. However that is very good.
DICKERSON: Oh, that is fantastic. Sure. In order that’s one thing you could not write a card for even for those who deliberate it forward of time, you already know?
CONAN: And that is perhaps why that particular card – for those who’ve acquired any person who’s artistic in your division, that is actually one of the best ways to go versus, you already know, happening for the pre-printed materials.
DICKERSON: Oh, completely. I imply, I am an enormous fan, after all, of greeting card firms and all of that. However these days, notably in a sort of post-paper society, the explanation you ship a card is as a souvenir, as a token, as one thing you placed on the fridge, as one thing you retain on the mantle. And so that you need it to be private, one thing that resonates, and one of the best ways to do this is with a private contact, a private joke just like the knob. That is actually humorous, the evening mild.
CONAN: And there may be the opposite fascinating facet of this. A lot of this seems to be in French.
Oh, actually.
Yeah. Bon voyage, adieu, au revoir.
DICKERSON: Oh, proper.
(LAUGHTER)
CONAN: A bientot.
DICKERSON: I hadn’t considered that. You are proper. That is humorous. The language of diplomacy can be the language of claiming so lengthy.
(LAUGHTER)
CONAN: Effectively, perhaps they’re linked. This e mail from Gretchen in Oshkosh. Goodbye does not imply you may be forgotten. It means you may be missed.
DICKERSON: Oh, good.
CONAN: That is not too unhealthy.
DICKERSON: That is very good, yeah.
CONAN: Let’s examine if we go subsequent to – that is Ethan. Ethan with us from New Albany in Indiana.
ETHAN: Hello, Neal.
CONAN: Go forward, please.
ETHAN: Yeah. Get pleasure from your present a lot.
CONAN: Thanks.
ETHAN: Every time I – I went out to highschool in Northern California, and I acquired a card from a extremely good pal. And the cardboard simply had a single pine tree on it, lined in snow, and it mentioned, once you’re alone, do not forget that you are by no means actually alone, besides you’re alone, so very alone.
(LAUGHTER)
ETHAN: And it sort of completely encapsulated what you are speaking about. It was like, there are not any actual goodbyes. I assume you are not going to die, so come again and don’t be concerned about it.
(LAUGHTER)
DICKERSON: I like that.
CONAN: So very alone.
DICKERSON: It is so fantastic. It is fascinating, saying there is not any goodbyes. A pal of mine, I bear in mind, simply the opposite day posted on Fb, saying she was having a tough day. And 20 folks instantly chimed in to cheer her up, and she or he mentioned, my God, that really labored.
(LAUGHTER)
ETHAN: And to me, it is superb what just a bit little bit of positivity and humor can do that can assist you get by means of one thing.
DICKERSON: Amen to that.
CONAN: Ethan, thanks very a lot.
ETHAN: Thanks very a lot.
CONAN: Let’s examine. We go subsequent to – that is John, and John’s on the road with us from Redding in Pennsylvania.
JOHN: Neal, you are stunning, man. I am simply going to overlook you a lot.
CONAN: Thanks.
JOHN: However, yeah, it is nice to even get on the air. So for me, the thought was, what can I or what have I heard that basically motivated me to have a look at this in a constructive means. As a result of once you acquired – once they took the exhibit the air, I acquired very resentful. And Clint Black wrote a music known as “Leaving A Higher Man.” And the refrain is I am leaving right here a greater man, having recognized you this manner. Issues I could not do earlier than, now I do know I can, and I am leaving right here a greater man. And so the entire thought was as an alternative of specializing in the bitterness of being rejected as a result of the lady he beloved turned him away, he simply targeted on what it had meant to know the individual and to – and the way his life had modified. And so I feel the thought of specializing in what was good concerning the relationship is the sentiment I actually will take with me.
CONAN: Nation songwriters appear to have graduated from the Hallmark college.
DICKERSON: It’s. Truly, I as soon as really did a lecture on that…
CONAN: Actually?
DICKERSON: …for Hallmark writers – nation songs as a result of, proper, they’re doing the identical factor, the identical sort of construction.
CONAN: Hmm. Attention-grabbing. John, thanks very a lot. Are you able to give us an instance?
DICKERSON: Oh, properly, it is simply that – like, for instance, for those who have a look at – this might’ve been within the ’90s, so that you had – there have been two nation western songs about saying goodbye. And each of them made reference to the rearview mirror. One with the rearview mirror is torn off. I am by no means trying again. That was Jo Dee Messina. After which the opposite – I am blanking on her identify – had one about how I am not going to look within the mirror. So the metaphors go collectively, however one was up-tempo, one was sluggish tempo. And so you’ve (unintelligible)
CONAN: One was main key, one a minor key.
DICKERSON: Other ways of doing the identical factor, and that is what greeting card writers need to discover ways to do. How can we inform the identical story once more?
CONAN: Once more and repeatedly.
(LAUGHTER)
CONAN: Let’s examine. We go to Suzie. Suzie is with us from Wilmington in – the one in North Carolina.
SUZIE: That is proper. Thanks for taking my name. I used to be going to let you know concerning the best goodbye card ever. I acquired a framed bus ticket. I used to be leaving my first actual job out of school and shifting to a brand new metropolis. And my group of affiliates purchased a bus ticket from the brand new metropolis again to my outdated metropolis, they usually framed it. They used all my nicknames once they addressed it to me. After which on the backside, it mentioned, in case of emergency, break glass and are available house.
CONAN: Oh.
DICKERSON: Oh. That is stunning. Oh, my goodness. How lengthy had been you with these folks?
SUZIE: Effectively, it was a very long time in the past, however it was – I have not labored for that firm in over 20 years, and I used to be with them for 2 years so…
DICKERSON: Wow.
SUZIE: …it was fairly a pleasant ship off.
CONAN: After 10 years, did you get an SST ticket?
(LAUGHTER)
SUZIE: Effectively, you already know, occasions had been completely different then. I may crawl again quicker than I may take the bus now. However, you already know, that is OK.
DICKERSON: I nonetheless am curious. What business was that that has that many good folks in it?
SUZIE: Effectively, it was, as you mentioned earlier than, artistic business, they usually provide you with nice issues. It was a publication.
DICKERSON: Good.
CONAN: Suzie, thanks very a lot for the cellphone name. And that is inspirational. That is inspirational.
SUZIE: Thanks.
CONAN: We’re – thanks. And we’re speaking with David Ellis Dickerson, the previous Hallmark greeting card author and creator of the YouTube sequence “Greeting Card Emergency.” You are listening to TALK OF THE NATION from NPR Information. Sharon’s on the road with us from Reno.
SHARON: Good day.
CONAN: Hello. You are on the air, Sharon.
SHARON: Good day. Hello. Thanks a lot for having me. I simply needed to say many, many thanks for years of fantastic programming. And I’ve, yeah, been in the course of Nevada, mapping underground. And I simply was telling your screener I’ve come up – made it some extent to at all times come up from underground to hearken to this system to attempt to contribute as a rule. I have been ready on the road to contribute, however – I am so grateful for the programming. It is gotten me by means of many tough days. And I am simply tremendous, tremendous appreciative, and I’ll miss you. Thanks a lot and thanks for being so gracious.
CONAN: Thanks a lot, Sharon.
SHARON: And it has been fantastic.
CONAN: It’s totally sort of you – we set to work that into card, in some way.
DICKERSON: Effectively, I used to be simply considering.
SHARON: I want you the very best.
(LAUGHTER)
CONAN: Thanks.
DICKERSON: I used to be simply considering, what the earlier caller had mentioned about we’re leaving a greater man out. The methods you have improved folks (unintelligible)
CONAN: (Unintelligible)
DICKERSON: Sure. One of many issues that is sort of good is you, along with producing this program, apparently, have additionally elevated this woman’s publicity to daylight.
(LAUGHTER)
CONAN: So melanoma, she will blame me for.
DICKERSON: No. It is…
CONAN: It is a good way to go.
DICKERSON: It is the vitamin D. It is fantastic, and you do not – you did not even count on that to occur.
CONAN: This is an e mail from Corine(ph) in Portland: When making ready to go away China after instructing college college students for 3 years. Considered one of my college students introduced me with a small card and glass jar with some dried flowers and soil from the college grounds the place she’d studied I taught and we each lived.
DICKERSON: That is stunning.
CONAN: That is very nice. Let’s examine if we are able to go subsequent to – that is Katie, Katie on the road with us from Buffalo.
KATIE: Hello. Good day.
CONAN: Hello, Katie.
KATIE: I am an enormous fan of the present. It is so particular to me that I am attending to name you at present, of all days.
CONAN: Effectively, thanks very a lot for the dialing. What’s your greeting card?
KATIE: My greeting card was really made for me this yr for my birthday by my father. I dwell actually far-off from him, so I do not get to see him. Rising up, we’d at all times make my dad and mom card for each event on the outdated Print Store program that used to run on DOS on the pc. And I bear in mind. And this yr, my dad really recreated DOS on his laptop in order that he may add and placed on a brand new Print Store program. And he made me a do-it-yourself, old-school Print Store card.
CONAN: Wow.
DICKERSON: That is sensible. Oh, my gosh.
KATIE: It was superior. It was so considerate, and it was such a throwback to our childhood. It was simply nice.
CONAN: Who remembers MS-DOS?
DICKERSON: That is superb.
KATIE: I do know.
DICKERSON: However what about that? We had been simply speaking about how one can by no means say goodbye to folks. We will not say goodbye to something. There’s most likely – all the things is on the market on-line proper now in some file, someplace.
(LAUGHTER)
KATIE: So long as you are able to do the pc magic, you can also make it occur for certain.
CONAN: Katie, thanks very a lot.
KATIE: In fact. Thanks a lot.
CONAN: Let’s go subsequent to – that is James, and James is on the road with us from Orlando.
JAMES: Thanks, Neal, for a few years of nice, fascinating tales. I had a girl break up with me, and I assumed she was so proficient when she signed the cardboard, applaud, associates. The comedy is over. So a few years later, I discovered that was the dying phrases of Beethoven, I imagine.
(LAUGHTER)
JAMES: Additionally, Neal, what’s going to occur to the theme music? I journey loads, and you weren’t in Orlando for a few years. However then, you lastly got here, and I heard the theme music come on and I mentioned, I’m tuned in. So what’s going to occur to the theme music? Will SCIENCE FRIDAY retain it?
CONAN: I imagine SCIENCE FRIDAY will retain it as a result of I do know Ira Flatow properly, and he is not going to fee one other tune. However the – aside from that, you already know, perhaps it will find yourself on a web site someplace. Who is aware of?
JAMES: Then you’ll dwell on endlessly in our hearts. Thanks.
CONAN: OK. Thanks very a lot. We respect it. Let’s examine…
DICKERSON: And doubtless for a number of years too.
CONAN: Most likely. Keith is on the road with us from Fort Bragg in North Carolina.
KEITH: Hey. Pay attention, Neal. We love you a lot, man. And I simply need to let you already know, man, I am taping this so I can let my little grandkids hear that I talked to Neal, this well-known man. He is a reporter, and he at all times, he at all times made certain, in means or the opposite, that he let black people pay attention. Your legacy just isn’t (unintelligible). You bought outdated kingdom over there (unintelligible) and all that was occurring. These black people working their very own nation. And the final time you probably did it, you mentioned, the place is the (unintelligible) from? You had this man (unintelligible). And I mentioned, properly, Neal, you are the best ever. And we love you, black, white, everyone, man. We’ll miss you. We’ll miss you a lot. Man, I do not even need to begin crying on this cellphone, brother. We love you, man, and also you handle your self, Mr. Neal. OK, sir?
CONAN: I’ll do this, Keith. And I’ll cling up or I’ll begin crying.
KEITH: You are the best, bro. You at all times made certain black folks pay attention. You any person. You at all times made certain we knew that. Thanks, sir. And we love you. Be good now, OK?
CONAN: I will do my greatest.
KEITH: Bye-bye.
CONAN: Bye-bye. So, David, earlier than we depart, we simply have about 30 seconds left. Something you need to depart us with?
DICKERSON: I had yet one more card that I needed to speak about, that I considered doing for – that will likely be good for a job. It might be – on the surface, it says, you are leaving? That is so uncalled for. If you happen to needed a bunch of hugs, you might’ve simply requested.
(LAUGHTER)
DICKERSON: Having mentioned that, I really wrote a card for you, Neal.
CONAN: Oh.
DICKERSON: As you might see, it has a little bit canine on the surface.
CONAN: It does.
DICKERSON: And it says, no matter else you are doing subsequent, I already prefer it.
(LAUGHTER)
DICKERSON: Thanks for making this a pleasure too.
CONAN: David Ellis Dickerson, writer of “Home of Playing cards.” Thanks a lot for not simply this look, however for all of the others prior to now.
DICKERSON: Thanks for, you already know, all these years. It has been actually, actually fantastic,.
CONAN: David Ellis Dickerson joined us right here in Studio 42. I assume it is SCIENCE FRIDAY tomorrow. I am Neal Conan. It is the TALK OF THE NATION from NPR Information.
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