The Machine Whisperer

The recent passing of my father-in-law prompted me to write a story about one of the ways he impacted my life.  My wife and her siblings have encouraged me to post that story and I am proud to honor him by re-telling his story.

The old Honda lawnmower was a dinosaur by the time I moved in with Angie.  It had seen many better days having chewed through its share of curbs, raised tree roots and a smattering of other debris that might have lain in its path. 

But in the fall of 2002 it was literally belching fire.  If it would run at all, showers of sparks would spew from the machines muffler.   It was decidedly time for the old war horse to be retired.   Unless! 

The man I call The Machine Whisperer was summoned.  Dante Shumway a quiet man with magic in his hands never met a machine he wouldn’t at least try to coax back to life.    

The former Air Force mechanic swore by Honda engines so he took on the task of resurrecting that old mower. 

 

His mastery of the machine was legendary.  Just ask anyone who competed against him in the tractor pulling competitions in the area.  Saddled atop his vintage and cherished John Deere tractors it was a rare day when Dante was out pulled or out distanced in any competition involving man and machine.

Although he never finished high school, Dante was a "Roads" Scholar when it came to anything mechanical.  Armed with that knowledge he dissected that Honda motor lovingly spreading out the myriad parts in perfect order knowing that by reversing the process he could easily reassemble the machine.  

Like a mother cat lapping away at her young kittens, Dante carefully cleaned and tuned each part.  Then with the keen eye of the master craftsman he carefully and meticulously put the mower motor back together. 

As the summer of 2013 dawned you could still turn on that old motor simply by whispering in its ear.  A gentle tug and the machine roared to life ready to tackle whatever was thrown in its way.

You’ve heard the old song about the Grandfather Clock that ran forever until its master died.  

It rang an alarm in the dead of the night —
An alarm that for years had been dumb;
And we knew that his spirit was pluming for flight —
That his hour of departure had come.

Still the clock kept the time, with a soft and muffled chime,
As we silently stood by his side;
But it stopp'd short — never to go again —
When the old man died.

Early on the morning of November 19, 2013 my father-in-law Dante Shumway…The Machine Whisperer passed away leaving the tinkering to other mechanics.

The old mower has been winterized and put away for the season, but it won’t surprise me at all if I go to start her up in the spring only to find out she has stopp’d short – never to go again – When the old man died.