Elmer Hauldren, the Empire Carpet...

...guy, died on Tuesday at age 89. Mr. Hauldren, as I called him, was a bit of a local celebrity. It's hard to tell, but that's him in the above picture throwing out the first pitch at a Cubs' game. (My son and I just happened to be there that day. More about that later.)

Anyone who's spent any time in Chicago would recognize Mr. Hauldren from the Empire Carpet commercials on WGN. You know, "5-8-8, 2-3-hundred, Emp-i-i-ire."

As I said, I called him Mr. Hauldren because he was the father of a neighbor of mine and I actually had the privilege of meeting him once.

"Hey, you know those new people who just moved in down the street?"

"You mean the Hauldrens?"

"Yeah. His dad is the Empire Carpet guy."

"No kidding!"

"Yeah. But I guess he doesn't own the company or anything. He's just an advertising guy who does the spots for them."

After I got to know Ryan Hauldren a little, I told him I'd really like to meet his dad sometime. He looked at me a little funny (a lot of people do), but later that summer I found myself talking to the Empire Carpet guy himself at a backyard barbecue at Ryan's house. And you know what? He was a really nice, soft-spoken guy. And he seemed genuinely puzzled by his celebrity.

Which brings me back to that Cubs' game. It must have been "Empire Carpet Day" or something, because on the sidelines was a guy dressed up like Mr. Hauldren with one of those huge heads, sort of like a giant bobblehead doll.

And my son Joe turned to me and said, "Dad, you know you've made it when you've got your own bobblehead doll!"