RUSH: Okay. Marcia in Plymouth, Minnesota, as we head back to the phones. Welcome to the Rush Limbaugh program. Hi.
CALLER: Hi, Rush. It’s so wonderful to speak to you.
RUSH: Thank you very much.
CALLER: I’m sorry if I sound a little bit nervous or if I might cry a little bit.
RUSH: I hope you’re not — are you sad?
CALLER: Oh, no. I’m good. I’m good. I’ve been trying for so long to give you a call and let you know how much I appreciate you and how long I’ve been listening and my dad started listening to you. He was a small business owner. He was a musician. And we had a musical instrument repair shop in our basement for as long as I can remember.
RUSH: Wow.
CALLER: In 1987 he finally opened his own store with a storefront, and I used to work with him on the weekends fixing instruments, and in I think it was ’87 or ’88, but I remember when he started listening to you. And we used to —
RUSH: Was this in Minnesota where you live now?
CALLER: Yeah.
RUSH: So that would have been 1988, then.
CALLER: Yeah, ’88. I remember I grew up in Coon Rapids, Minnesota, and he would listen, and I would. On the weekends, or, if I worked after school during the week, he would play tapes, because he recorded you every day.
RUSH: Wow.
CALLER: And so we listened all of the time. And we listened to the station you were on, but it was just you, and then he would play you back later, and I learned a lot from him and from you. He worked on saxophones and I worked on clarinets, and we would listen, and he owned his own store, and we did really well, and he unfortunately passed away in 1997. But I’ve been listening to you, and I still listen, and it’s almost like I’m listening with him. I’m listening to you.
RUSH: That is so great. I’m almost speechless here, ’cause I know what you mean. I’ve had the same type of experiences with other people in my life. And I can’t tell you how much this means to me. You’ll never know, but —
CALLER: I’m glad.
RUSH: Here you are 25 years later still listening and —
CALLER: Yes.
RUSH: — to have this program remind you of those great days with your dad —
CALLER: Oh, yeah.
RUSH: — when he was starting out with his store, ’cause you’ll never forget. You’re gonna always cherish those days.
CALLER: I will.
RUSH: Nothing will ever replace those days, when something’s brand-new and you are so excited, you’re just starting out. You don’t know whether it’s gonna happen or not. Those are always gonna be cherished memories. I’m blown away to even be part of them. I can’t thank you enough.
CALLER: I’m honored that you’re part of ’em, and I found some tapes a few weeks ago of the old days, and it was nice. It felt like I was back at home.
RUSH: Well, that’s great. Gee, listening to old tapes and still listens.
CALLER: Yes. Uh-huh. I found a cassette player.
RUSH: Marcia, that’s great. I really appreciate that, more than you’ll know. Thanks very much for sharing that with me. I’m glad you got through. We have to, unfortunately, take a break because of the programming clock.