Question of the Week: If you had no fear, what would you do?
By Tom Peterson
Welcome to Question of the Week, a weekly news column that poses timely questions about life, politics, culture, economics, health, and more to people out and about in our communities. Our hope at CCC News is that having this space dedicated to being curious about other people’s experiences can help us to deepen our understanding of people from all walks of life.
Question of the week: If you had no fear, what would you do?
Gary Clayton, 82, Goldendale, right
“I would do what I have done,” he said. “Well, I had 30 years as a law enforcement officer.
“I was in the Army for 24 years, 20 years as a Green Beret. I had 241 parachute attempts. It was the most exciting job I ever had second only to riding a motorcycle as a California Highway patrolman for five years.”
“In both careers, we were able to help people in big trouble. I went into a domestic violence situation and a 3-year-old-girl hid behind my legs. To protect that girl, that made all the agony, vomit and feces in law enforcement worth it. It made all the pain, sorrow and tragedy worth it.”
Russ approved this photo ;)
Russ, 45, The Dalles
“I would be way more vocal about what’s going on in the world and not be afraid of the reprisals.”
Chris Searles, 36, Hood River
“I’m doing it. Living the dream my whole life. I would probably take less chances. Injuries are catching up with me in my old age. I’ve been cliff jumping, skydiving. Anything extreme.”
Have you base jumped?
“I have not base jumped. I would.”
Connie Lawrence, age has no meaning, Dufur, no photo
“Maybe the airplane thing, skydiving. I would jump out of an airplane.”
Brooklyn Coleman, 24, Dufur
“I would travel the world.”
Where would you go first?
“Africa. My favorite animal is the hippo.”
Richard Morrow, 56, near Lyle.
“I would go bungee jumping,” he said.
Where, Crooked River or Maybe Hawaii?
“Hawaii, I think; I need to go there.”
Pam Pacheco said if I jumped, she would too - into this photo that is. Nice move Pam; you got me on the record.
Pam Pacheco, 63, The Dalles
“If I had no fear I would bungee jump or go skydiving.” It’s the heights thing. I always wanted to do it, but I never had the guts to. But the sensation of flying through the air would be so free and fun.”
Pam said she would only be in the picture if I joined her. Photos require comments.
Tom Peterson, 52, The Dalles
“I would quit my job and spend the next five years practicing guitar, drums, bass. I would go back to the list of friends I have made in the past 46 years, and I would see which of them would want to be in the band. Who had the chops and were artistically really abrasive and fun and annoying. And then take it on the road, play in small pubs and travel for a year or two. And get in raucous fights on stage. And then produce a first studio album that would die from lack of interest - only to be discovered upon my death and then, of course, develop a curious cult following. And people would later say, who was that guy, as they pogoed to the tunes. And they would jump and slam their heads and listen to me and my mates. They would say, with cigarettes dangling from their mouths and beer spilling from their Rainier pounders, ‘Now, that’s Tom Peterson and the Peterbilts.’”
