I’m grateful that the morning show at least occasionally takes me well out of my comfort zone and into vistas where I am a total moron. Take Monday’s program in which we broadcast the show live from Gateway Technical College’s Horizon Center – the facility where the school’s award- winning auto repair program is housed. That in and of itself takes me far from my home turf, although I at least drive a car and this year especially with my emissions debacle have been on the receiving end of the car repair business. But what really put me on an alien planet was my guest for the program- a guy named Steve Johnson who is one of the country’s top ten motorcycle racers. He is sponsored by Snap On Tools, a Kenosha-based company which is a corporate partner with Gateway, so that’s why he was on campus- and it was President Albrecht’s “suggestion” that we broadcast the Monday morning show from there and capitalize on his visit. I didn’t exactly dread the idea, but I didn’t exactly relish it either, not knowing if this guy would be bright or articulate or patient with a know-nothing interviewer like me. (As far as I can remember, I have never so much as sat on a motorcycle, let alone driven one or ridden one- nor have I ever attended a motorcycle race or even watched one on television. To paraphrase my friend Marion Judge: When it comes to motorcycles, if Ignorance could fly, I’d be a Jet.
Fortunately, Steve Johnson proved to be a delightful, friendly, engaging guest who was easy to talk with- and he actually put me at ease early on (that is to say, two sentences into the interview) when he threw up his hands in mock despair, crying “hold on! hold on! What’s with all the three syllable words?!? is this NPR or what?!?!” He had a great sense of humor and a very down-to-earth, accessible way of expressing himself. He also had a tight schedule, which I appreciated, because it meant that we could only talk for the first twenty minutes of the hour. I can do twenty minutes about anything . . . tooth enamel, centipedes, Zsa Zsa Gabor . . . and even motor cycle racing!
pictured: In the midst of Monday’s morning show. That’s me on the left- President Albrecht on the right- and Steve Johnson in the middle. I love the look on his face, as though I look a little too desperately interested in what he’s talking about.