48 Hours

Everybody Has a Story (14x40)

Air date: Aug 31, 2001

Imagine a TV crew from CBS News calls you up out of the blue and tells you they want to put your story on television. You're not a Washington power broker, or a head of state. Maybe you're head of a household. You wonder what could be so interesting about your life to deserve the attention? But that's the point. For the last three years, Correspondent Steve Hartman has been on a mission to prove that some of the most important stories are waiting to be found in some of the least likely places, from California to South Carolina, and almost everywhere in between. Here's how it works: Hartman pins up a map of the country, and then takes a highly sophisticated piece of newsgathering equipment - a dart - and throws it at the map. Wherever the dart hits, Hartman goes. When he gets there, he opens the local phone book and calls someone at random. Whoever answers, and agrees, that's who Hartman profiles. He has met some amazing Americans this way. Below are some of Hartman's most amazing stories. A Very Lucky Argument To Lose: Guy Leith of Iowa loves to fish. Were it not for a lost argument in 1966, he wouldn’t have the chance. The Legend Of Spaghetti: Why did this man keep a mummy in his garage for decades? Lessons From A Five-Year-Old: What happens when a little boy picks up Hartman’s call? He becomes the subject of the story! A Family Surprise: Like most of Hartman’s subjects, Suzie Izatt says she’s unworthy of coverage. But her unusual path to motherhood proves her very wrong. Actions Speak Louder Than Words: Eric Colton isn't big on talking. So how did Hartman end up with such a great story? Find out. A New American: Amy Mendoza’s favorite colors are blue, white and red. Amy, who excels in English at school in the U.S., is the daughter of Cezar, who says he is an illegal immigrant. What will happen to her? An Unlikely Romance: Senior citizen Newt McCallum was an unhappy widower. Then he met Naomi Coddington, a 74-year-old widow. She