Dave’s Mom

“Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor” (1 Peter 2:17).

The final David Letterman Show this week brought back a flood of memories. As a young sportscaster in Chattanooga, Tennessee, it was Letterman who kept me company when I’d get off work at 11:00 p.m. I had sparse furniture back then, and a tiny 13” television I’d watch when I returned to a lonely apartment. I appreciated Letterman’s dry wit and “Top Ten” lists. Even though Dave didn’t know it, I’d developed a friendship with him.

When a couple of friends and I had the opportunity to meet Letterman before one of his shows in 1984, his agent said as we were getting out of the car to walk into the studio, “Lisa, I don’t know if I should share this with you or not, but Dave just broke up with his girlfriend.” Call it delusions of grandeur, but I confidently believed I would soon be dating Letterman because we were both in television and had a mutual love of sports.

I will never forget the scenario. Dave, wearing a football jersey and glasses, throwing a football in the air, came over to say hello and asked what we did. My friends, an actor, and news anchor, answered him with clear voices. When he got to me, barely audible, I said, “sports.” And that was it. I was speechless and blew my opportunity.

But today I know that God caught my tongue, because he had someone more suitable for me in mind. I met my husband the next month. For years, my hubby displayed a framed photo of Letterman as a reminder that he beat David Letterman out!

Fast forward to 1994. I am covering the Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway. Every night I would do two live reports that would broadcast back to Texas. It was bitter cold in Lillehammer, so before the show, I would seek refuge in a nearby hotel where Dave’s mom happened to be. She was doing reports as well, but for her son’s program.

Dave’s mom, her crew and I sat together a few times at the hotel, when one night the conversation turned to the controversial Nancy Kerrigan/Tonya Harding figure skating scandal. I made the mistake of saying, “You know, I’ve heard Nancy Kerrigan is not all that nice either.” Dave’s mom’s reply was priceless, and just like a mom: “Well, she’s probably under a lot of pressure right now.”

And I realized she was right. That night Dave’s mom stopped me in my tracks and taught me a valuable lesson. When anyone is grouchy, short-tempered, or distant, we must give them the benefit of the doubt. We don’t know what kind of pressure they are under. 1Peter 2:17 says to show proper respect to everyone and love the family of believers. That didn’t say when they are nice to you, show proper respect to everyone and love the family of believers. It also didn’t say when you feel like it, show proper respect to everyone and love the family of believers. The verse meant to do this all the time.

I was so embarrassed about judging Nancy Kerrigan that I never sat with Dave’s mom again at the Lillehammer hotel. However, the lesson she taught me remained with me the rest of my life.

As David Letterman said his final goodbyes Wednesday, I was melancholy. It reminded me of much younger years, and it was indicative of how fast life passes as I clearly recalled the auburn-haired, gap-toothed comedian back in the eighties.

But it was also a strong reminder of Dave’s mom and her wise words. The curtain will never go down on them. (LBW)