My name is Robert "Duffy" McDonough and while on a morning bike ride (9/30/03), I came upon a bus stop with a handicapped lady who was waiting for her bus.  After seeing her from a distance, I couldn't help but to start thinking about the new bike we had just purchased on eBay the day before (I was thinking about it before seeing her).  We greeted each other with a synchronized "Good Morning" and then she said something to me that just about "floored" me.  I turned my bike around to go back and meet her, but we only had a chance to talk for less than a minute before her bus arrived.  She gave me her e-mail address that luckily I remembered (after 2 incorrect/returned e-mails).  The letter below is a copy of the e-mail I sent to her after our brief encounter.  I hope that someone (or everyone) who reads this will benefit from it in some way.

 

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Hi Bunny,

 

I don't know if I have the right e-mail address but I'm the guy (Duffy) on the bicycle you spoke those famous words to this morning as I rode by your bus stop.  I couldn't believe it when you said that to me.  What are the odds that you would say "I wish I could do that" after I have been thinking about buying a tandem bicycle equipped for the handicapped for quite some time...and we just bought one yesterday?   

 

I don't know how many wishes we get in our lifetime, but the one you made this morning is going to come true.  The split second you said it to me...it gave me goose bumps and almost seemed surreal.  It was reassuring that it seemed like a clear sign that this project is going to be a wonderful thing and the expense of this bike is going to be well worth it.  We have plans to give cancer patients and sight-impaired cyclists rides also.  We have actually bought a few other tandem bikes that weren't suitable for our purposes.  My step-mother is in a wheelchair also and it was her comment about how much she used to like to ride her bike that initially gave us the idea.  I hope that you will inspire her to want to take a short ride some day.   

 

The bike we bought this time is actually a tricycle (trike).  The captain (me), will sit in the front and will pedal, steer, and shift to any one of 63 different gears.  The 2nd person is the stoker (you), and sits in the rear position.  The stoker can pedal or there is a special device made for our bike that converts the rear pedals to hand cranks.  There are other duties that the stoker will be responsible for also, but we'll talk more about that another time (flat tires, etc. lol).  I've included a picture below of a similar trike from the factory web site.  You can see what the trike looks like w/o the hand-crank attachment for the "stoker".  If the picture below this paragraph doesn't show up, click here.  If you want to see a picture of me (a few years ago) winning enough money to pay for this bike, click here.  If you looked at my picture and want to know why I don't participate in that sport anymore, read on.

 

The trike we purchased is green (not red like the picture shows) and is still in Oregon.  We haven't figured out a way to get it here yet along with its custom road trailer.  There's also a "BOB Yak" trailer that can be towed behind the trike for gear, etc.  We are avid cyclists and plan to do several long-distance bicycle trips to promote our company called "Putters from Heaven®".  We started out as a group of golfers helping a few people.  However, a "putter" could be someone who "putters" around his or her house or garage, or someone who "putters" around on a Harley or a wheelchair, or anyone who's ever played miniature golf too.  Its more important to have a desire to help people and a passion for saving lives.   

 

Our main focus has been helping people learn to quit smoking and to educate others about the dangers of this ridiculous drug.  The effects of nicotine (and the added chemicals) on the human body are undeniable and have been proved beyond a shadow of a doubt.  The warnings are on every cigarette pack (regardless of the state they were sold in), that tell of their deadly consequences.  Many individuals elect not to take that risk and NO ONE in America should be forced to.  Millions of innocent persons suffer immediate and long-term effects from smoke because of old smoking laws that must be updated.  Several states and 1000's of cities/towns across the U.S. have now completely banned smoking in public and/or anyplace children are allowed.  However, there are still many states (incl. Nevada), that have ignored the wishes and well-being of its citizens (Assembly Bill 96).  A few of Nevada's politicians have "sold us out" to the casino industry and "big business" (tobacco).  That reminds me of one of our bumper stickers that reads, "Tobacco Lawyers are a Smokers 2nd Best Friend".  However, don't think we don't have compassionate slogans, one of my favorites is "Hug a Smoker...They'll be Gone Too Soon".

 

Here's one for you...millions of parents will smoke in front of their own kids, yet they won't smoke in their car.  It makes me sick to know that someone's car or truck is more important than their own kid's health (or their own health).  The more smoking becomes socially unacceptable and these selfish attitudes are exposed, the easier it will be for many to quit (approx. 23% of the population smokes and 83% want to quit).  We have some very controversial ads for billboards and many more bumper stickers.  We also have some great ideas for T.V. commercials that will DEFINITELY help people see smoking from a different perspective.  If you know how to use Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Premiere, or Adobe Illustrator, please let me know.  We probably won't be able to afford many billboards or commercials in the immediate future, but we're looking forward to that day with GREAT anticipation.  Our web site is still small but we have lots of info/facts to put there eventually.  Two other web sites that we plan to use are called "beatnicotine" and "litterbutts". 

 

"Litterbutts" will showcase the smokers who DO smoke in their cars and trucks and think the world is their ashtray.  It will include golfers that are "Litterbutts" and others, most of whom when confronted, say they don't realize their cigarette butts cause so much destruction.  As a cyclist, you'll soon see how many "butts" are thrown out of car windows.  These "Litterbutts" are responsible for killing 1000's of animals every year and cause $millions in damage due to fires and the cost to have them picked up (never mind the ugliness).  You can probably tell how excited I get over a plethora of issues regarding this subject, so I guess I better stop for now.  By the way, do YOU smoke?

 

I hope that today will be a changing point in our lives as someone/something made you say those words to me this morning.  Please reply to this e-mail so that I know I have the right e-mail address, etc.

 

Warmest Regards,

 

 

Duffy McDonough

Putters from Heaven® ­

hp.  568.9333 

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This is Duffy from Putters from Heaven®.  BTW, our area code is 702 if anyone wants it.  You just read a true story that happened on 9/30/03 in Henderson, NV.  I received Bunny's first reply later that night and she was very appreciative of our "chance meeting" and our new friendship (as was I).  She told me a little about her disease that left her paralyzed from the waist down.  She also suffered a bad reaction to medication a few years ago and lost 90% of her hearing.  She told me she used to ride bicycles and has concerns about being able to get in and out of the trike (I told her that I turn 45 on Friday and have the same concerns). 

 

The ending of this story with Bunny is yet to unfold but the main point is to let people know that the people at "Putters from Heaven®" are dedicated to helping anyone who wants to quit smoking.  Our method is designed for long-term success as we focus on the smoking addiction and the associated thoughts, and NOT the nicotine addiction.  If you've tried nicotine patches, gum, etc., all with no luck, let us show you how to slowly re-train your actions and your thoughts BEFORE you attempt to quit.  Once you start to think and act like a non-smoker, quitting nicotine is easy.  If you've "tried" to quit and found yourself counting the days and weeks since your last cigarette, that's torture.  No wonder you started back smoking.  That's not how it will be once you've beat your nicotine addiction for the last time. 

 

Another moral to this story (so far), might be to be careful what you wish for, it might come true.  Bunny has expressed concern that she is somewhat overweight and a long-distance bike ride for her will entail a significant amount of dedication and training.  

 

If you have no idea how or why you received this e-mail.  I thought it would make an interesting story to say the least and I obviously want people to know about "Putters from Heaven®".  Maybe you've "wished" YOU could go for a long-distance bike ride someday and would like to join us.  Or more importantly, maybe you've "wished" YOU could quit smoking.  Let us send you our short 2 1/2 page letter by e-mail or snail mail that describes exact methods and specific examples for retraining your mind and body away from cigarettes.  Just ask for it by replying to this e-mail or by clicking here.  When you receive it, please print it and read it several times.  It's important to follow a few steps EVERY time you smoke a cigarette.  Its also important that you don't involuntarily cut back on the amount of cigarettes you smoke while learning to become a non-smoker (again).  

 

Wishing everyone "the best" and the prosperity that "your best" will bring. 

 

 

Duffy McDonough

Founder, Putters from Heaven®