Just a regular person here. The fact that I’ve made it up to this point in life is one of my biggest successes. There are a lot of us, we are everywhere, and we make the world go around through our work and the progeny we leave behind. We are strong together and get things done (for the good hopefully). But individually we won’t be stopped for an autograph or to take a selfie with a stranger that’s in awe of you. That’s why it’s fun when you have the chance to be in proximity with someone who, for whatever reason, has risen to fame and notability. (Caution: Some namedropping will occur in this diary.)
My mother had plenty of street-smarts. She worked her way through college after growing up in rural poverty. She said to me once: “Hey, you could do worse than waiting tables…you will get at least one free meal a day. And tips!” So I took her advice and sought restaurant jobs, the first of which was as a busboy at one of the hotels in Ocean Shores, on the Washington coast. I was home for my last summer, and it was only a 20 minute drive from the folks’ house…
…The town was partly founded and funded by the big band singer Ginny Sims, who slapped her name on the first hotel. The area was staked out for small plots, the hope was that it would become a vacation spot. Pat Boone also invested in the town and would host celebrity golf tournaments that would bring in Hollywood people and of course we locals were drawn to see them. My sister was particularly adept at getting autographs, although somewhat blindly. My folks would later have to explain to her who Phil Harris and Hoagy Carmichael were…
…but by the time I took a job there, a lot of that initial glitz was gone, and it was largely a weekend getaway for people from the Seattle/Tacoma area. The folks I served for most of the summer were just regular people…until the movie cast and crew came to film some of the closing scenes for the movie McQ, a movie that starred John Wayne. Also there in and out over 3 weeks were Eddie Albert, Diana Muldaur, Clu Gulager and the rest of the cast and crew. My favorite was the guy that played the heavy, a funny guy who cracked me up every night: “Psst. Hey kid! Got something on ya? Pills, weed? You could make a little extra money on the side! What if I want a little company, ya know..you could set me up, right? All the busboys I know do that...just sayin’ ’” I just saw on IMDB, he passed away shortly after that film. Bummer.
What fun it was to watch the reactions of the other patrons when they realized that it was actually The Duke, holding forth with his family and producers in the center 8-top…but for us, the staff people, we got over the “wow” factor rather quickly. I did get an autograph (long lost) and I saved a cigar butt…why I don’t know, but I did. Somewhere out there in the world I’m in a group picture with him.
It was an interesting summer…but it was back to school for another year. I was to return to the job the next summer, but instead I found myself hooked up with a girl and we decided to stay rather than go home. I got a job waiting tables at one of the hotels in that college town…the place at which many of the visitors to the school would stay. A lot of musical acts came through to play at the college. I served guitarist George Benson. I didn’t recognize Ramsey Lewis until I read his signature on the check. And I assisted one of the waitresses who felt that she was unduly hassled by Elvin Bishop and his band. June Lockhart came through too…she only ordered room service however.
I missed Bob Hope who stayed there the year before, lured there by a student, the runner-up of one of the major beauty pageants (Miss America, Miss USA, Miss Teen USA - one of those I forget) to come do his routine, a charity thing. I didn’t go.
These days the only persons of note I encounter are politicians. Since becoming an active volunteer 12 years ago, I’ve said “howdy” both of my Senators and the two Congress Critters I’ve had. Phone banking on Election Day 2012 found me next to Maria Cantwell, who by chance, they positioned next to me for a TV shot. My right elbow made the news that night…I guess my elbow is more famous than the rest of me :-)
How about you? Who are some of the famous folk you’ve encountered?
RSVPS
1. kathny, organizer (kosmail her to connect)
2. peregrine kate, guest of honor
3. joanbrooker
4. sidnora
5. gchaucer2
6. jeremybloom
7. belinda ridgewood
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MAYBEES :
kathny
Denise Oliver Velez
Avilyn
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RSVPS
1. navajo, organizer (kosmail her to connect)
2. joanbrooker, visiting from NYC !
3. tbirchard
4. Lorikeet
5. remembrance
6. TLO
7. Glen The Plumber
8.
9.
10.
11.
12. MAX ALLOWED HEADCOUNT. RSVP SOON!
MAYBEES :
maggiejean
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Netroots Nation 2018
Puerto Rico Kos !