Six Flags
Wow, where to start. Worked there three seasons, '84-'86. Some of the memories will (and already have, really) last a lifetime.
Cindy and the Tower MapCart. Blistering hot days in the Texas sun, standing on black asphalt pavement and wearing a navy blue uniform. Getting a glass of ice water to pour down my back and into my shoes in a vain effort to keep cool. Still having fun despite the heat.
Nicknames under our nametags. Oh, "Harley", where are you? Do you even remember how you got the nickname? I do. Do you still have the T-shirt? I heard a song again the other day that has always reminded me of you, even though it came out after we'd last talked. I'd love to hear from you, it's been a long time.
Jim, Bryce and the rest of the Photo crew. Pranks and practical jokes in the Kritter shack. "Quintessentially befuddled". The afternoon we all went to TGIFriday's and ran up a huge bar tab - and then all went back to work (hey, at least we were in a great mood!).
The Romulus/Remus Security Toga party in '85. My first two-day hangover, that was.
The trips to Mid-America and Georgia...woohoo!
Sitting in the backroom of my shop doing inventory in '85 - and hearing about the Delta crash at D/FW airport.
My dear friend Roy in Cash Control. The endless rounds of Skeeball palace, robbing quarters. The night I tipped over a cart after robbing Skeeball, and sent hundreds of quarters flying all over the boardwalk by the Airplane ride. We never did recover them all - but I'm sure we made sharp-eyed kids happy for weeks afterwards!
The night I got robbed on my way to Cash Control. :(
Endless folding and refolding of T-shirts...
And...if any of this brings back memories for you, click over to the SFOT former employees forum!
Suffice it to say, I hated school after about the 4th grade. High school especially. I still have nightmares to this day, that I'm back in high school. All the adults in my life at the time told me, "Oh, these are the best years of your life - someday you'll wish you were back in high school again." The truth of the matter is, I have never wished I was back there (and I'm in my mid-30's now). I am not sure I even want to attend a reunion - ever.
Having said that, there were a few bright spots.
Choir - especially 1985. I think that year, that choir, and those songs, had no peer. I can still get chills thinking about "At The Round Earth's Imagined Corners" and "Saul". We swept away all competition that year. Even just the day we sang it at the mall ice rink, with the killer echo in the atrium, was incredible. It's too bad the Meyerson wasn't built at the time, I can only imagine what those songs would have sounded like there. A reunion of the 1985 Acappella choir would be something I'd attend even if I had to get off my deathbed to do it, *grin*. Not much I can say about the choir director, Darrell Dick - except that he was simply incredible. He was one of the few teachers I absolutely adored, and one of the biggest reasons I didn't drop out of school before graduation. Choir was the only reason I even went to school on most days, especially my senior year. I also enjoyed the two interns we had - and sadly, I can't remember either of their names. I can recall their faces clear as day...maybe their names will come to me. One was a man and one a woman.
Mr. Pat Nichols: I owe you more than I can tell you, ever. I think every child has one teacher they can point to that really made an impact on them (and the really fortunate ones have more than one, as I do). I think you made a deeper connection with my mind than just about anyone before or since has - and at the right time, too. Even though I never really lived up to my potential in public school, you'd be happy to know that I did in later years, in later schools (graduated top in my class in every Navy school I attended, including one six-month school that I managed to end with an overall average of 99.6 out of 100). Your teaching was never forgotten, even if it seemed like I wasn't applying it the way I might have at the time. I still enjoy logic problems immensely, have even written a few myself. I don't play chess anymore, but I remember that fondly also. I even still tell the 'doyle' riddle every now and then (the nuclear reactor off-weight problem). I'm flattered that you remember me as well, my mom has told me about the few times she's run into you. You'd also be happy to know that I loved my own time as a teacher of electronics - and I can only hope that I challenged my students as well as you did me. And somewhere, tucked in a corner of a scrapbook, I even still have the Peanuts cartoon about the 'gifts'! And I would still answer to 'Useless' - but only from you, *grin*.
Mrs. Adamson: I know I frustrated the heck out of you! But I enjoyed your classes and challenges more than I ever let on. I actually learned so many things from that year of Gov't/Economics, things that I still remember to this day. That's more than I can say about the rest of my 4 years in high school. It's a direct reflection on your teaching ability and the fact that you truly cared about your students - it showed. And is still appreciated. :)
Honorable mentions have to go to Mr. Lewis ("Time will pass - will you", "Hon, he poo-poo'ed to death", and the 100 paper airplanes in a paper sack) and Mr. Rodgers from Junior High - you both made classes fun, and treated me like a thinking human being rather than just a 'kid'. I learned a lot from both of you (some of which had nothing to do with science and history respectively), and always looked forward to your classes.
About the only fellow-student from high school that I've completely lost track of (and would like to find again) is Vicki S. from choir. If you ever find this page, please email me! I'd love to know how your time at college went, and how your life has gone in the years between.
Oh, God...could I have had any MORE fun than I did there? So many people hated (and still do hate) Navy "A" schools, but I had a blast.
So many memories, I don't know where to start. The best ones were from AFTA though - especially after hooking up with Paula, Steve & Wendy, and Jack & Ronda.
The bawdy ode to boot-polishing. "Marlene Dietrich". M&M's for the Senior Chief. The weekend movie marathon, complete with wine and cheese (and "Smith and Wesson, asshole"). Endless viewings of "The Holy Grail" ("Now go away, or I shall taunt you a second time."). The trip to New Orleans for Mardi Gras (that has its own section). The trip to the PO club just before GMT. PO Lanham and the "AFTA dinner mints" (and the deadpan public recitation of Dr. Seuss's "Oh, The Places You'll Go"). Chief Neva and "an-tannas". The IWT trainers. "What happens at ****'s house...NOTHING!!" (Name hidden to protect the poor innocent). My car's unfortunate parking spot at the "Cascade" Motel. The ham/MARS radio station, Chief Rhodes, Terry Zihlman, and the W4BS group (I think I still owe somebody a Frosty).
A look at my 'home' for almost a year - guys and gals in the Navy now, you've no idea how good you have it! Of course, we had it better than our predecessors did ourselves...there were only six to a room in this barracks, and it wasn't 'open-bay'. Note the shine on the floor too...have I ever been that neat a 'housekeeper' since then? Nope!
School, K-12
Navy AV(A) School in Millington
Why we had to take a group pic on a night when none of us were looking our best, I'll never know!
But, it's the best group pic I have...
The night I made a stupid bet on a Pictionary game - and lost. Had to kiss the winner's feet...
The image left in the 3-D pin sculpture (wow, Steve, pretty impressive!). Making Wendy laugh after her surgery - "and what if your head falls off and rolls around on the floor?". Feeding a lemon to Thomas (the baby), and the expression on his face. The night of George Wallace ("Wiener!!") at the Comedy Club, and the way we got to the club in the first place (hoooo, boy - can I get myself into a pickle at times or what!). Paula's "Devil in the Blue Dress" at open mic night after the show.
"Let me tell you something, mister!!"
*sigh*...hospital corners...
