Local ‘hard case’ meets rugby legend
As the school bus driver, retired fire chief and community leader, not much information gets past Jim Guyton in the town of Mossburn.
However, it was a bit of a surprise for Guyton when former All Black captain Ritchie McCaw came to meet the Mossburn legend yesterday.
‘‘You like surprises?’’ McCaw said to Guyton when they met. ‘‘I do now,’’ came the reply.
Guyton said he knew McCaw would be at Mossburn School but didn’t know McCaw was coming to meet him.
Guyton was nominated by student Jake Mackie, 7, for a competition run by Fonterra to meet McCaw.
In his nomination, Mackie said Guyton should be retiring ‘‘but just can’t do it. He loves seeing everyone too much.’’
Mackie said he nominated Guyton for being a good driver and for his work with the fire brigade. ‘‘He deserves something like this to tick off his bucket list.’’
Guyton has lived in the area since 1963 and has been active in the community with the school bus service, the volunteer fire brigade and as a member of the Mossburn Community Development Subcommittee.
‘‘People must think something of you if you’re nominated for something like this,’’ Guyton said.
McCaw said Guyton was a really nice guy and a typical Southland man who didn’t get too excited about anything.
‘‘Jim is [a] hard case, isn’t he? He obviously knows what’s going on around town, so it was pretty good to get one over him,’’ McCaw said.
McCaw also visited Mossburn School, where he gave away signed rugby balls and played games with the students.