Valentine's Day

Today children and lovers celebrate the holiday together. Children give candy hearts either for the sugar high or a peck on the cheek behind Mrs. Weidlemeyer's classroom. On the other hand, lovers exchange chocolate hearts. They become disillusioned, thinking that on that night, instead of performing the act of sex, they will delve into the art of making love. Lovers fill every restaurant in town, leaving singles to make reservations even at the drive-thru line at McDonalds. When its all over, similar to the candidates leaving Iowa, we don't have to listen to the commercials touting pajamas for life, teddy bears, jewelry and chocolate.

Billy sends birthday greetings to Papa Marco and Happy Anniversary to my "kids", Debra & John.....Happy Valentines Day, guys.....

LeRoy

When I first started out in the business, one of my first contacts was LeRoy. LeRoy was a sales rep for the Old Northwest Company....but we are not going there. LeRoy taught me my work ethic. We worked our butts off making calls. We would take an occasional "coffee break" and when we stopped at the Colony Inn for one of those breaks, I ordered a Pepsi. He was aghast that I did not drink coffee. I was 18 years old at the time and had not yet acquired the taste for coffee. He proceeds to tell me that if I am going to be successful in business I need to drink coffee....and don't be a sissy and doctor it up with cream and sugar! Well due to his prompting...I now have a coffee habit.

He taught me how to write upside down so when sitting across from a prospect it would be readable for them. We called on business after business telling our story. Long after I wanted to call it a day, it was LeRoy who wanted to continue the calls. God Bless.

LeRoy was driving a huge Oldsmobile 98 ( they don't make them anymore) with more whistles and bells than I had ever had on anything I owned. He is responsible for me wanting a similar machine. Soon I went out and bought a butter yellow Plymouth Fury III loaded with every option there was to have.

Sometimes after a hard day working it was prudent to have an adult beverage after work. We were in my basement and I removed my clip on tie. Once again he was taken aback and told me I had to learn how to tie a tie and not wear the clipons. He had me go upstairs to get a real tie so he could show me how to do the knot. It didn't take me long to catch on and I was properly outfitted the next time we went out on calls.


At the time my poison was probably whiskey and seven or scotch and soda and Lee suggested that I ought to try martinis....no kid stuff Vodka Martinis...but the proper Gin Martinis...... I still remember the evening at his house when he explained that one would not be enough and three would be too many...sort of like women's breasts. The first one was gawd awful and the second was slightly better, but by the time for the third they were quite tasty. I never made it home that night upon the insistence of his wife who very diplomatically called my wife to explain my plight.

When my first Mini Cooper needed painting it was LeRoy who came to the rescue with his spray gun. He bought the first 240Z in the area and after he had a little fun with it "let" me buy it from him. At that time they were still called Datsun's! It was a 1970 model.

There are way more instances where took me under his arm and showed me the ropes and thats a good thing. Somethings you just can't blog about.

Today is his birthday. Happy Birthday, Lee! Don't drink your bath water.

Sweetheart Ball

Sunday evenings we usually go over to the Crippe apartment to visit with Billy. Otto, Priscilla, and granny will all be burning their Raleigh cigarettes and Billy will be watching America Funniest Videos or the like. His favorite show is Desperate Housewives......but since the writers strike it has been nothing but re-runs. This Sunday, we did not go over to the Crippes because we were comped in to the Sweetheart Ball at the Ponderosa. This is always a great event, because Craig Boche sings with the Rod Pierson Band and we can go dancing and be one of the younger couples on the dance floor.

Before we went to the Ponderosa, we stopped at Super Dave's for a little lubrication. The mercury on the thermometer indicated it was 2 degrees Fahrenheit, but we hearty Iowans took it in stride.

The valet parking guy for the Ponderosa was no where to be found and we self parked and found our reserved table. Our table was graced with the executives of KMRY and Babbling Bob Brooks the long time sportscaster in the Cedar Rapids area. I quickly got his autograph for Billy. Billy listens to BB's color when he listens to his transistor radio for the Iowa Buckeye games.

Its obvious that they did not have to check any ID's at the bar since the average age was somewhere near triple the drinking age...well except for the guys that brought their daughters and I suspect they are exempt.

The tunes were delightful and the company was cordial and we are looking forward to doing it all over again next week at the big Casino. Stay tuned.

Also attending the event, from Billy's extended family were Papa & Mama Marco and the Bickersons.