The Popcorn Stand: Here’s to Linda Zimmerman

The movie “Brian’s Song,” one of the all-time great sports movies that made it OK for men to cry, begins with the line: “Ernest Hemingway wrote every true story ends in death. This is a true story.”

Well today’s Popcorn Stand is another true story. And it seems of late I’ve been using this Popcorn Stand to write a lot of true stories.

It’s made me realize how fortunate I’ve been. How fortunate I’ve been to have known so many good people who are worthy enough to be written about in this Popcorn Stand when they die.

Linda Zimmerman was another good person. She died on Wednesday. She was well-known, especially in the Ducor area, and she was loved by many.

Everyone who knew Linda Zimmerman would tell you she was a good person. Now I’m sure she’s up in heaven bickering with her husband, Bob Zimmerman.

Everyone who knew Bob and Linda Zimmerman would tell you they were good people. At least when I came across anyone who talked about Bob and Linda that’s what they would always say. They’re good people.

It’s a simple statement but as far as I’m concerned it’s about as big a compliment you can pay someone to refer to them as good people. Because I know whenever someone told me Bob and Linda were good people — they meant it. I knew they didn’t just say that about anybody.

I first met Bob and Linda when Freddy Quijas still operated Juicy Burger and didn’t just focus on catering. And whenever Linda and Bob drove up to Juicy Burger for lunch and I was there a big smile always came across my face.

If you know anything about Juicy Burger you know it’s a small place as there’s just a few feet from the entrance to the counter where you order. You practically almost hit the counter with the door when you open it to enter the place.

One time Bob was having trouble entering the place with his walker in that tight space. Linda was behind him and was asking Bob to move out of the way so she could enter as well. “I’m trying to woman,” Bob snapped.

Without missing a beat Freddy yelled out “Bob do you need a Snickers?” The next time Bob and Linda came to Juicy Burger, Linda provided us with a package of Snickers candy bars.

We made fun of Bob and Linda for the way they bickered, but it was obvious they truly loved each other. The gang from Juicy Burger up in heaven keeps getting larger.

Bob and Linda are up there now with Jason Baker and Freddy’s brother, Joey. I miss them. I’m sure they’re all up in heaven now bickering with each other, but also joking with each other and reminiscing about the good times they have had together. It makes me smile.

Linda always made me smile. Even in her death, even though I’m sad, thinking about her still makes me smile. That’s what good people do.

If there was ever a woman who fit the description of the woman described in Proverbs 31 it was Linda Zimmerman. Read Proverbs 31:10-31. Every verse describes Linda. EVERY VERSE.

I know Bob would agree with verse 10 as having her as a wife was definitely worth far more than rubies. For me, knowing Linda was definitely worth far more than rubies.

Maybe the verse that best describes Linda is verse 25. Linda was definitely a woman with strength and dignity who could laugh at the days to come.

Linda was also someone who had a quiet demeanor, but it could never be mistaken for weakness. I guess she’s also an example of the Biblical word, meekness, which means strength under control.

Every true story ends in death. I was fortunate to have Linda, this true story in my life.