His birth name is Gary Edward. He was born in 1942, and I wonder how I managed to live all these years without him.

Gary is my perfect man. He is funny, and like me, he can’t really carry a tune, but he sings anyway. He is witty and always makes me laugh. He wasn’t raised on the plains of Colorado, but in the Midwest, and he’s proud to say he’s a Lutheran.

Gary came into my life one day when I needed help in keeping my nose above water. There he was, like a little angel sent from heaven.

His voice is deep, and he often speaks in Limericks (A five-line, humorous poem that relies on a strict AABBA rhyme scheme and a bouncy, “da-DUM da-da-DUM” rhythm).

He is delightful.

Did I mention he is very smart?

He is a writer, so we had something in common from the moment we met. His dad was a carpenter and postal worker, just like my dad. Because he writes, he also pays attention to detail and seems to find clever reasons behind the behavior he observes.

He calls himself a nerd, and I like people who think, process, and communicate their musings.

He is also very patriotic. In the middle of a story, he might stop and sing “America the Beautiful”. He also loves it when others know the lyrics and sing along.

His stories are entertaining, heartfelt, and, of course, funny.

He also loves his mother, and we all know we want to avoid men who dislike their moms. This guy’s a keeper.

He’s tall, not necessarily handsome, but I don’t notice because I am so smitten by his words, stories, and humor.

I like him far more than he likes me. He doesn’t even know I exist. We’ve never met.

His Pen name is Garrison because he thought he needed a more important name than Gary if he was going to be a writer, speaker, and radio talk show host.

His full name is Garrison Edward Keillor, creator of A Prairie Home Companion, and he speaks of a fictional Minnesota town: “Welcome to Lake Wobegon, where all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average.”

He makes the ordinary extraordinary and the heartland life ideal and profound. He is just a YouTube click away when I’m driving, working, or walking, and he seldom mentions politics; when he does, he’s calm and logical. Such a blessing.

Lucy likes him too.

Closing with one of his favorite quotes: “Even in a time of elephantine vanity and greed, one never has to look far to see the campfires of gentle people.”

Until the next time: Live while you live