1936-1999I liked the style of Bob Talbert's writing so much that I remember trying to be the first one to snag the Detroit Free Press off the front porch, in the morning, so I can open it right up to his column and read it, untouched by others. Monday Moanin' was always my favorite. I was only 12. What 12 year old read the paper? It appealed to all. Once in a while he ran an article with items written by some readers. I decided to write him in the early 80's to see if I could get in that.
The first time that I wrote him he put it in the first opening line and I got the headline too. That was pretty exciting for me so a few months later I wrote him again. The same thing happened, my words were the headline and I had the first few lines. Then a third time same thing. I was getting used to it.
Then one day he announced that he was going to let the readers write his entire column, while he was on vacation for two weeks. He gave us a month or so to submit something. I wrote every night for a month. I was actually getting in trouble for it. I was married and he was not happy with how much time I was spending on this. I did it anyway. I was on a mission. I tweeked it, fine tuned it, edited it, rewrote it and added to it. I had to submit a photo of me and had no current ones, so I sent along my photo off my high school ID card. It didn't look much like me anymore. I finally mailed it off to him with enough time to get there by the deadline.
The day before he left for vacation he wrote that 401 people had submitted articles. He said it was really hard but they narrowed it down to 10 writers. I knew I could not make that cut. No way.
On Monday morning I got up before the Sun did to go check the Free Press and see who it was that wrote the first one. Knowing full well it wasn't me. I quickly turned to the Feature Page, I saw Ann Landers and looked right above her were Talbert usually was and saw the person that got the first day of his vacation....Jana Wallace and a photo that I didn't recognize. I closed the paper up, kind of bummed that it wasn't me. I sat there for a few minutes trying to calm myself enough to go back to sleep and thought.....wait a minute. Let me open that back up. Took a closer look and by golly it was me. How did that happen? How could I possibly beat out 401 people for one of the coveted spots in the Feature Page of the Free Press. This was big time. This was cool. I was so excited. I could not contain my excitement. I had worked so hard for this. I went and showed my husband and all he said was, "I bet you think you are hot shit now."
That was kind of a real buzz kill. After he left for work I went back to bed hugging the paper and tried to get back to sleep for a bit.
At about 11am the local radio station called and asked me if I would do an interview at Noon. I agreed and then proceeded to get real nervous. I called a friend and told her. Well, maybe a few of them. One taped the interview for me. The radio station called me right at Noon and the only thing I remember was them asking me how do I think I got the first day. Just a young woman from Jackson. How did I get picked over all the other submissions? I don't remember much about it. The friend brought over the cassette tape but I tried to listen to it and could not stand my voice and gave it back to her. I wonder if she still has it? It was Barb Winn if anyone knows her and wants to see if she still has it. I bet I could listen to it now.
Well, a few months went by. I had achieved the best that I had worked for. I went on to other things like cooking, cleaning and driving kids around.
I was cooking dinner one night and the phone rang. Kids running all over the place. The guy on the other end appeared to have a southern accent and asked for Jana. "This is her." Then he said, "This is Bob Talbert."
Right!! Who is funnin' me? Why would he be calling me? No way. "Who is this really?" He then went on to convince me that it was him. Well, it was him. "What's up?" I ask, trying to act cool. Like this is a normal occurrence for me, to be talking to my IDOL. The man that I spent most of my teenage years reading his words, every day. The man that gave me the opportunity to write in his space. I was ecstatic. He called me to ask why I stopped writing him. I told him I had done what I wanted to do and was real busy doing other stuff with 3 young children.
I so wish he would have pushed it further and encouraged me to write. I remember talking to him for 15 minutes or so. I wish he would have directed me out of my marital misery. It was my choice to stay.
He sent me a note once. I still have it somewhere. He was cleaning out files and sent back the photo of my sons, that I had sent him. The note said he was cleaning out files and to write him sometime. Bob.
I got summoned to jury duty in Federal Court in Detroit and on the way to the court building I noticed the Free Press building. I went in. There was heavy security. You had to talk to the front desk person. I went in and asked if I could see Bob Talbert. They almost giggled and then told me that he doesn't come in much. He writes from his bedroom. I tried.
A few years later a good friend, Dave Cummings, called me to let me know that Mr. Talbert was going to be at the Jackson Country Club to speak to the Women's Club luncheon. He was offering me a seat at his Mother's table to see him speak. I gladly accepted the invitation. How sweet was that? I ate lunch with a bunch of older women, that I did not know. I got pretty bored with the items on the agenda before the speaker. I excused myself to the bathroom and what do you know......Mr. Talbert was sitting in the side hallway waiting to be introduced. I stopped to say hi. I just looked at him and asked if he knew who I was. He said, "Absolutely!! You are one of my best writers, Jana Wallace." I am just going to fall apart with joy. I shook his hand and chatted for a bit. I am sure he asked me why I still don't write him any more. The conversation could have gone on all day and into the night but he was there to be the speaker for the luncheon. I did not want to dominate his pre-speech thoughts, so I thanked him for the opportunity and continued on to the bathroom.
I don't even remember him speaking. Not a word. All I knew was that we met, in person, in the hallway. I got to touch him. You don't even know how much I loved this amazing man and mind.
It was a few years later and the internet was just getting popular. I was looking around on the www. Surfing I guess. I ran across a headline that Bob Talbert had died that day. I am going to tell you that I was bummed. I was hurt. I was crying. He had meant so much to me. I only wish that I had paid more attention to him and realized my potential. I still don't get how you picked me out of 400 to be the first. I really don't get it.
Someday I might.
I took advanced writing at JCC a while back, I got a 4.0 and then proceeded to apply for an easy job at the Citizen Patriot. I had three interviews and did not make the cut to write the Countryside Page, in the late 80's. Not enough college.
I wrote and published (along with Ed Childress) the newspaper about live music in the Jackson area titled The Buzz News, for a year back in 1999 or so.
I wrote articles for a year or so for the Blazer newspaper in Jackson. My articles were quite often on the front page.
I put together the newsletter for the art group JCAA for a year or so.
I wrote and published the newsletter at Frost school back in the 80's.
Pretty sure that I wrote some stuff for the Capital Area Blues Socitey newsletter. I was on the board of directors for 4 years.
