Interview with Laurence Dunn

Laurence Dunn age 65

Do you go by a nickname?
Laurence: Not since I was a little kid. When I was a little kid they called me “wakie wakie.” I was a timid scout that couldn’t fall asleep and often caused a commotion. Because of this, the bishop of our ward, Bishop Greenland, called me Wakie.
At home I didn’t have a nickname. My mom was ticked when anyone called me Larry. I was Laurence until I went to work on a construction site. I’ve been called Larry since I was 18. My family calls me Laurence. My mom didn’t believe in nicknames and she was insistent. My dad never called me Larry until a little while before he died.
What’s the one sound that drives you crazy?
Laurence: I don’t know that I have ever been driven crazy by a sound.
What is your favorite book?
The Book of Mormon. That aside, the story that I always giggled at was “Three Men in a Boat” by Jerome K. Jerome.
Who would you consider to be your hero?
Laurence: My dad.
What’s your favorite smell?
Laurence: I don’t know. Hot apple pie in the oven. I’m sure there are others. Bread cooking is a good smell, food cooking, like when we got home from church, onion, garlic, and beef.
It’s hard to beat the smell of freshly mowed hay. It smells good, it catches my attention.
What’s your favorite movie to watch over and over again?
Laurence: We giggle every year at Christmas Story because it is what it is. But I’m happy to put it back in its box after Christmas and put it away. Princess Bride is in there… you’ve got to listen to the shrieking eels every once in a while.
What do you want to be when you grow up?
Laurence: Retired. That’s easy. I want to do the things I did when I was 12. Walk up the river and catch pollywogs.
If you could possess any superpower, what would it be?
Laurence: I always thought that being able to read minds that would be pretty super awesome…
What’s your favorite cereal?
Laurence: You know I like anything with sugar on it… Post Grapenuts, Wheat Puffs and Rice Puffs and Corn Puffs especially with sugar on it. Sweetened puffs.
What is cooler? Ninjas or pirates?
Laurence: I don’t’ think I can abide either one… a little fantasy… neither one is cool for me.
Are you a collector of anything?
Laurence: Oh yeah… that is a genetic thing and I have the gene. So I collect.
Bullets, 22 boxes, scales, cookbooks, hymn books , bibles, church memorabilia books, ties, tie pins, I have the gene… I’m a collector….
What's your favorite color?
Laurence: I like red. I like blue, and yellow. I've got to have red cars. I have my red scooter… BYU blue. Who doesn’t love that?
If you could have 3 wishes granted, what would they be?
Laurence: I know how to answer this… Tons of money, good health and more wishes… cuz that’s the order (try not to be specific about the amount because it’s never enough.)