The Everything Man

The Hawkins Library along with all libraries in the country put on a summer program for children called Be Creative @ Your Library. Arlene Mabie, children's librarian invited Mr. Bufo-Bufo and me to do a 'toad event' for the children. After the event I talked to many of the adults and teens who are writing stories. One woman I talked to was Brenda Petkovsek. Brenda was at the library with the children from her day care, the Dis-n-Dat Day Care in Hawkins. Brenda told me about stories she had been writing for the children in her day care revolving around a real life person named Carl Hartman.

The stories started because Brenda believes in providing a social environment for the children where they learn good manners, help each other, and speak appropriately. One day, a little boy was looking out the window and called out, "The garbage man is here!" Brenda wanted the children to know that this man had a name and that he did many things for the community besides picking up the garbage. With a song and a story later, Karl the Everything Man was born. Through Brenda's story, the children learn that Carl, the village maintenance man is more than just a 'Garbage Man".

I returned to the library for the culminating event of the summer. Karl the Everything Man was read to the children. After each description of what Karl did, hang Christmas lights, plow snow, etc., the children would chant a repeating line from the book, "What else does Karl do?" Following the reading of the story, the real Carl Hartman came forward to share something else that he does. Carl Hartman has taught himself to play the bagpipes. He demonstrated several bagpipes and demonstrated how one can get started playing the bagpipe. As he finished, Arlene handed out kazoos to all the children and we were treated to a kazoo and bagpipe parade down main street.

This little parade was a combination of the Pied Piper of Hamlin and the Music Man. It was wonderful! If you might be interested in learning the bagpipes, you can attend the Labor Day Parade in Hawkins and if you are not late, you will see the leader of the parade, the real Carl Hartman playing the bagpipes and leading the parade, the real everything man from Brenda Petkovsek's story, the music man from Hawkins. If you spend some time talking to him after the parade, you might find yourself learning to play the bagpipes!

Toad House Publishing

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