Nelson: A mere gazillions apart

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I noticed yesterday a tidbit buried in a story I didn't otherwise fully comprehend that Warren Buffett's parents met in the offices of the Daily Nebraskan, the college newspaper of what is now the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Buffett also mentioned that he started his company with money he earned from working as a paperboy.

It seemed as though the man was attempting to make some excuse for liking newspapers.

I think he should feel good about liking newspapers. I like newspapers, too. I like them so much I work at one. Oh, heck, I'll say it. Newspapers are so neat, I might even like to continue working at one.

It's a neat job because I get to write interesting stories, like the one several years ago in which a psychologist explained that if you're ever kidnapped, you should do your best to attempt to relate to the kidnapper. That makes them less likely to do bad things to you.

I'm getting off track here like some train on tracks laid by some company that wasn't the great Burlington Northern.

Once, while driving past a Burlington train, my then-very-young first son suggested that the "BNSF" on the side stood for ... well, let's just say it doesn't really stand for what he suggested. But the comment in itself was very cute and endearing.

Oh, our boys. We love them so.

To think they might not be here if my wife and I hadn't met in the offices of the Daily Nebraskan in the spring of 1991 while I was the editorial page editor there.

It's a small, small, endearing little world, isn't it?

My love for newspapers began during my years as a World-Herald paperboy in Falls City.

I'm not a wagering man, because I only put my money in businesses I understand, but I bet there's not an employee anywhere in Berkshire Hathaway who was a longtime paperboy who later met his wife in the offices of the Daily Nebraskan.

It's all so heartwarming I feel like listening to some Christmas music. I'm going to go over and thumb through the Christmas CDs over by the stereo. Well, what do you know? Right there is one of our favorites, called "Star of Wonder," by composer Peter Buffett.

I met Peter back in the mid- 1990s. Actually interviewed him in his dad's kitchen one afternoon. Surely sensing dehydration from intense interviewing, Peter offered me some cherry Coke from the fridge. I opened the fridge and saw two cans of cherry Coke. I only drank one of the cherry Cokes. I totally love cherry Coke, but I would never take a man's last cherry Coke. Imagine coming home from work only to find a fridge without cherry Coke? That should never happen to anyone. Ever.

I never expected any thanks or compensation for not drinking both of the cherry Cokes in that fridge. I never expected the owner of the home to see this act of kindness as a great reason to not begrudge someone for penning long ago what might have been misinterpreted to be criticism or just plain jokes about the cult of personality around him or some idea that he plays a twirpy instrument.

Well now I'm just totally in the holiday spirit. I should go out and buy some presents for loved ones. Paul McCartney said something like, "the love you get is equal to the love you give." This may be true in economics, but in matters of the heart, I just think it's best to give and forget.

I can start my list with the help of this large color advertisement in The World-Herald for all kinds of amazing sales on quality products at Nebraska Furniture Mart. Once I get all the Samsung 60-inch 1080p high-definition televisions I need, I think I'll head west to Regency to get my dad's gift, a must-have 18-karat gold Dog Tag Pendant for the pennies-on-the-dollar price of $2,650 at Borsheims.

Then I should treat myself to an Oreo Blizzard from Dairy Queen just because they're so awesomely delicious.

I've heard mothers get embarrassed if you're in a car wreck and you're found to have dirty underwear, so I should pick up a pack of those silky Fruit of the Loom jockey shorts in case I have an accident while out shopping. The thought of such an accident would ruin my holiday spirit if I didn't feel so protected by the good people I'm immediately planning to revert back to having protect me at Geico Insurance.

All this talk of family reminded me that a distant uncle of mine, C. Frank Reavis, was congressman for Nebraska's First District at the time Howard Buffett, Warren's dad, entered the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. You just have to assume my relative inspired Howard Buffett to become a congressman from Nebraska. Think how different the life of Howard's son might have turned out if not for my relative?

I emailed Susie Buffett Wednesday, and from her response it seemed like, yes, she thought it might be cool to have a newspaper column, but not necessarily this column. So we're cool. We're all cool.

Charlie Munger has cute cheeks. Just thought people should know that.

Did you know 81 is the new 29?

Contact the writer:

402-444-1129, robert.nelson@owh.com

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