Uncommon Encounters

About fifteen years ago, I met and visited several times with the WW II German General Rommel's driver during the North Africa campaign. He was extremely likable, a devil-may-care attitude, and very outgoing. He showed several photograph albums from the war and many with General Rommel in the picture! If I remember correctly, he was spending most of his time now on a houseboat on Lake Cumberland.

And speaking of photographs, here's a story you probably won't believe. Unfortunately, most of the details must be omitted about this encounter. The guy had a wife and two darling, cute young kids. The wife was a former model for one of the "men's magazines" and certainly looked the part -- very nice and personable. Rumor had it that he was a former bodyguard for one of the high profile publishers of that magazine. Rumor also had it that before that job, he was a "hit man" for the mob! I didn't pay too much attention to those rumors, until a few months later when another guy I knew said that it was true and he had actually seen the album of photos of the victims the guy kept. Supposedly, he had made some kind of deal with prosecutors in another case and was never prosecuted. That's about as generic as I can get without relating too many specifics....

And speaking of encounters with notable people, but certainly not related, a couple of years ago when Anne returned home from a visit to Philadelphia I picked her up at the airport in Asheville. It was a small plane on a connecting flight from Atlanta so there weren't many passengers. As Anne walked down the ramp I recognized the person walking next to her. It was Andie McDowell who lives in Asheville. Most people know her from her role in "Ground Hog Day" with Bill Murray and her modeling for one of the major cosmetic and shampoo companies. A beautiful woman, but I have to say Anne outshone her! Andie looked as if she had had a tiring trip so I declined asking her to star in a movie about something dear to my heart! But I have regretted it ever since!

Although not very exciting, but, to a 25-year-old, this was quite a heart-warming encounter. During my tour in Korea during the Vietnam war, I came home on leave and for some unknown reason, I was arriving in Dayton and waiting for someone to pick me up. So what does a 25-year-old G.I. do to kill time in an airport? I sat down at the bar and after ordering, noticed my stoolmate (?). It was Blair Thompson, general manager of what was then Delco Products and who was well-liked and respected by everyone; not one of those jerks that would follow (but that's another story). When drafted in 1969, I was a young, green supervisor there. 'Course he didn't know me from Adam, but seemed thrilled to meet one of his "crew" in uniform. He bought my drink, asked all kinds of questions, and kept insisting I call and come out to his home and visit while in town. The encounter was especially memorable because returning G.I.s weren't receiving heroes welcomes from the general populace at the time. Unfortunately, I never had the nerve (or good sense) to follow through. Upon my return after service, I would have done anything for that man and, to this day, I treasure that good man's conversation.

Years later, while in Purchasing, several of us were at the Tech Center in Warren one day and while having lunch, Rick Waggoner came in, went through the cafeteria line, and asked if he could join us. What do you say to the President of General Motors? :) I can tell you he did not have the "presence" you would expect, nor the interest in some of his fellow employees.