A Life Lived “My Way”: Reflections on Friendship with Judge Wally Berning
Table of Contents
A remarkable friendship,forged through shared experiences and a touch of youthful mischief,offers a poignant reminder of a life fully lived. The story, recounted by a longtime acquaintance, celebrates the late Judge Wallace “Wally” Berning and his wife, Cookie, as icons of community spirit and individual character.
An Unexpected Encounter at the Art Festival
The connection with Cookie Berning began years ago at the Minot Art Festival. As she moved through the pavilion with a small basket on her wrist, she appeared, in the words of the narrator, “as if she were in search of alms for herself.” A playful gesture – dropping change into her basket – sparked a decades-long chuckle and a lasting friendship.
The acquaintance’s bond with Judge Berning deepened during a social gathering at a Minot hotel. Discovering a mutual passion for the violin quickly led to a more surprising revelation: both men had attended the University of Missouri at Kansas City (UMKC), though in different programs – dental school for the narrator and law school for the judge. “The past strengthened our future connections,” the narrator recalls.
The conversation continued, revealing shared experiences of working through school. Judge Berning recounted his time at a gas station, prompting the narrator to share his own story of balancing studies with employment at a Safeway grocery store. This led to a particularly memorable anecdote.
A Cadillac, a Curious Errand, and a Trunk Full of Surprises
During his first semester, the narrator took on a unique job assisting an elderly couple, the Murrays, with household chores in exchange for rent-free accommodation. The work began with typical tasks – mowing, painting, and snow shoveling – but took an unexpected turn when Mr. Murray requested a ride to Lawrence, Kansas.
the narrator found himself piloting Mr. Murray’s enormous Cadillac Fleetwood, described as being “equivalent to two river barges soldered together,” on a series of mysterious errands. Each stop involved Mr. Murray disappearing into a tavern, returning with a “heavy appearing money bag.” Curiosity finally got the better of the narrator, who peeked into the trunk during the final stop.
“It was filled to brim with boxes full of condoms,” he confessed to Judge Berning.
Reader question: Judge Berning and the narrator both held jobs related to contraception during thier student days.The M & M Rubber Company manufactured condoms,and the narrator discovered a trunk full of them.
The judge responded with a wry observation: “What are the odds?” He then revealed a parallel experience from his own youth, admitting he had also filled condom machines at gas stations while working for the M & M Rubber Company. The narrator confessed a lingering guilt about not sharing these youthful adventures with his parents, believing some experiences were “just couldn’t use.”
A Frank Exchange and a Familiar Tune
when the narrator inquired about any school-era experiences Judge Berning regretted keeping from his parents, the judge responded with a heartfelt rendition of Frank Sinatra’s “My Way.”
He sang:
And now, the end is near
And so I face the final curtain
My freind, I say it clear
I’ll state my case, of which I’m certain
I’ve lived a life that’s full
I traveled each and every highway
And more, much more than this
I did it my way.
The narrator concludes that Wallace (Wally) Berning, along with Cookie, were more than just admired figures; they were “icons of what is good and special about life in The Magic City.”
