Sometimes, the smallest things make the biggest impact.
Before the Chelsea varsity baseball team headed to Florida last month they met at the local Big Boy for breakfast. As Donny Riedel, 17, was heading into the restaurant, he saw 88-year-old Rupert Otto slip and fall on the ice. Donny did what any good person would do. He reached out his hand and helped Rupert back to his feet.
"I had gotten out of my truck and slipped a little myself so I knew it was icy," Donny said. "Mr. Otto was getting out of his car just as I was about to open the door to the Big Boy and I saw him slip on the ice. I went over and helped him up."
Rupert thanked Donny and the two went on their way.
But Rupert felt what Donny did deserved more than a quick pat on the back. Rupert spent 51 years of his life as a teacher and administrator in public schools and he knows all too well how good kids can be. Still, he was impressed with how Donny responded to his misstep outside the Big Boy.
So Rupert wrote a letter to the school "officially" thanking Donny and the Chelsea baseball team.
"I didn't hear about this until we got back from Florida," said varsity baseball coach Wayne Welton. "None of the players ever said anything about it. I found out when I read Rupert's letter."
And like Rupert, Coach Welton was equally impressed.
"I'm very proud of Donny," Welton said. "He's a great young man."
The letter to the school included an invitation from Rupert to hear him perform on the pipe organ, a longtime hobby Rupert continues to enjoy to this day. So after practice last Tuesday, the boys put away the balls and bats and quickly scored an appreciation for not only organ music, but a man they now feel fortunate to have met.
"All 19 players and myself went over to his house, sat in his living room and listened to Rupert play for 40 minutes," Welton said. "He has a special talent and he shared it with the kids, who really were impressed. They listened closely to every song and enjoyed hearing some of his stories about growing up. He was terrific and the kids had a really fun time."
One of those kids, of course, was Donny.
"It was a lot of fun," said Donny, who is a senior and plays right field and pitches for the Bulldogs. "I enjoyed when he played and also when he talked about how things were when he was growing up. He gave us a list of songs that he played and we got to make requests."
Despite the boys being 16 and 17 years old, there was no generation gap to overcome. Good people and good music combined to knock down any age barriers.
"What was truly remarkable to see was how at home the boys felt and how comfortable I was not only playing for them but talking with them as well," said Otto, who turns 89 next week. "They're good kids."
Rupert performed his songs on a Walker Theatre Organ, which is a combination of the magnificent Wurlitzer reproduction consoles and the famous Skinner Church Organ. Rupert, who often holds concerts in his living room, calls music his hobby.
Now he has another hobby - rooting for the Chelsea varsity baseball team.
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