During the late 90's, I was trying my best to find money. I was working at Rich's, but it was not nearly enough for my lifestyle after declaring bankruptcy. I found an ad in the back of a magazine about making millions. That appealed to me.
I wrote to the address, and I got instructions on how to make millions. I had gotten books on how to make millions, but there were a lot of hoops you would have to do like by stocks or get grants from the government. This notion was better. I was to buy a mailing list from a company. They assured me that all of the addresses on this list were people who would do the same as me. Gullible people.
I paid $100 for the list. I also bought a roll of stamps and some envelopes. The idea was to send $1 to five people, and then move your name up one on this form letter. Based on a series of steps, it was possible to make a million dollars in $1 increments. Maybe this was true in theory but not in actuality.
I spent around $150 for everything and mailed my letters. The form letter told the addressee to send $1 to the person that sent this to them, and then move their name one spot up on the list of five. Confused yet? I know I was. In the end, I got $1 from a woman in Kansas. That was it. I guess the "gullible" people knew more than me. I also wrote a film company in Kuwait and asked them for money. I never heard back. I never heard back from Oprah either.
Wednesday, March 27, 2019
Sunday, March 17, 2019
Encounters
During the 1990's, I had some encounters with some famous and sort of famous people. One was with BB King. He had come to Columbia for a concert. The show was at the Township, and it was great. After the show was over, I went around to the stage door to see him. He was still inside signing autographs for a bunch of people who paid money to meet him. I waited for over an hour before he came out. I was one of a handful of fans back there. His limo pulled up. They had a special place made in the trunk to put Lucille (his guitar). One of his assistants gave each of us a picture of Mr. King and a plastic guitar lapel pin. These were pretty special, because the people inside didn't get them. When he came out, he said hello to us. He was very gracious. I left to go to my car. His limo passed by me, and the driver honked the horn. King waved at me.
Another was Bob Dylan. He also played the Township. It was 1997. I danced in the aisle during his show. Good stuff. After the show, I headed back to my car and saw his tour bus pulling out of the parking lot. I tried to catch up with the bus. It was going toward I-26, as he was heading to Knoxville for his next show. I drove 70mph and running red lights to catch up with his bus. I finally did about 10 miles outside of town. My plan was to ride behind the bus to Knoxville, but I failed to notice I was running out of gas. I pulled alongside the bus and honked my horn. Dylan looked out of the window. I waved, and he waved back. I yelled out "No Gas!". He smiled. I pulled off of the interstate to get gas. His bus continued up the road. I went home.
The Shirelles were playing at the Township along with Gary Lewis. I was sitting on the second row with Chris and Del. I was on the aisle. As they were about to sing "Going to the Chapel", the lead singer pointed at me and wanted me to join her on stage to sing the song with her. Fortunately, the man sitting in front of me stood up and went on stage to make a fool of himself. That was a close call. We met Gary Lewis at the stage door after the show and gave him a tape of our music. He liked it.
And then there was Elizabeth Ann Hilden. She was the Pet of the Year for Penthouse in 1997. She and her husband lived close to me in Forest Acres. I would see her at the Piggly Wiggly next to Ravenwood frequently. She was nice. I knew who she was, but most in the neighborhood didn't. When I had first met her, I told her of my friendship with Ginger. We hit it off, as I treated her as a person, not judging her for what she did. One Saturday, I got off of work and was exhausted. I had to stop by the store to get some food. Elizabeth had been to a magazine signing at a bookstore. When I got out of my car, she was getting into hers. She smiled and greeted me. I was so tired that I could barely speak. She looked perplexed as to why I wasn't more friendly. I told her I had to get some food and walked on by. Shortly thereafter, she and her husband moved away. I hope it wasn't my fault.
Another was Bob Dylan. He also played the Township. It was 1997. I danced in the aisle during his show. Good stuff. After the show, I headed back to my car and saw his tour bus pulling out of the parking lot. I tried to catch up with the bus. It was going toward I-26, as he was heading to Knoxville for his next show. I drove 70mph and running red lights to catch up with his bus. I finally did about 10 miles outside of town. My plan was to ride behind the bus to Knoxville, but I failed to notice I was running out of gas. I pulled alongside the bus and honked my horn. Dylan looked out of the window. I waved, and he waved back. I yelled out "No Gas!". He smiled. I pulled off of the interstate to get gas. His bus continued up the road. I went home.
The Shirelles were playing at the Township along with Gary Lewis. I was sitting on the second row with Chris and Del. I was on the aisle. As they were about to sing "Going to the Chapel", the lead singer pointed at me and wanted me to join her on stage to sing the song with her. Fortunately, the man sitting in front of me stood up and went on stage to make a fool of himself. That was a close call. We met Gary Lewis at the stage door after the show and gave him a tape of our music. He liked it.
And then there was Elizabeth Ann Hilden. She was the Pet of the Year for Penthouse in 1997. She and her husband lived close to me in Forest Acres. I would see her at the Piggly Wiggly next to Ravenwood frequently. She was nice. I knew who she was, but most in the neighborhood didn't. When I had first met her, I told her of my friendship with Ginger. We hit it off, as I treated her as a person, not judging her for what she did. One Saturday, I got off of work and was exhausted. I had to stop by the store to get some food. Elizabeth had been to a magazine signing at a bookstore. When I got out of my car, she was getting into hers. She smiled and greeted me. I was so tired that I could barely speak. She looked perplexed as to why I wasn't more friendly. I told her I had to get some food and walked on by. Shortly thereafter, she and her husband moved away. I hope it wasn't my fault.
Wednesday, March 6, 2019
Revenge
A friend of mine went to a conference in Atlanta. She was in a hotel room, and sharing it with another woman she didn't know. This other woman hit on my friend who told this woman she wasn't into women. The woman went downstairs to the hotel bar and got drunk, leaving my friend in her room alone.
When she got back from her conference, she told me that story. I told her that we needed to get back at this woman, so I had my friend tell me her name and where she worked. I also needed the city. It turned out she worked in Charlotte and worked at a store in a local mall. So, about a week later I headed up to Charlotte. I went to that mall and found her working there. I called her by name. She looked at me blankly. Then, I proceeded to tell her a total lie.
I asked her if she remembered me. She said no. I said, "You don't remember me? We met at a bar in the hotel in Atlanta about a week ago." She still didn't remember me. I then said, "We seemed to hit it off. I bought you a drink, and you said that if I was ever in Charlotte to come look you up at your store, and we would go out and party." At this point, she seemed to be buying my story, only because I had all of the facts right, and she had been drinking heavily, so it could be a true story. I had never seen this woman before. I then went on to ask her what time she got off? She said that she was done at 6pm, so I told her I had some stuff to do in Charlotte, but I would be back at 6 to take her clubbing. Still with that blank stare, she said okay.
So, I left that store and drove back to Columbia. I didn't take her out. I was back in Columbia by 6pm. The next day, I told my friend how the encounter went. We had a good laugh about it. I am sorry that the woman in Charlotte didn't get a date that night with me, but she wasn't really into guys after all. And, she never knew that my friend told me about her. It was perfect revenge.
When she got back from her conference, she told me that story. I told her that we needed to get back at this woman, so I had my friend tell me her name and where she worked. I also needed the city. It turned out she worked in Charlotte and worked at a store in a local mall. So, about a week later I headed up to Charlotte. I went to that mall and found her working there. I called her by name. She looked at me blankly. Then, I proceeded to tell her a total lie.
I asked her if she remembered me. She said no. I said, "You don't remember me? We met at a bar in the hotel in Atlanta about a week ago." She still didn't remember me. I then said, "We seemed to hit it off. I bought you a drink, and you said that if I was ever in Charlotte to come look you up at your store, and we would go out and party." At this point, she seemed to be buying my story, only because I had all of the facts right, and she had been drinking heavily, so it could be a true story. I had never seen this woman before. I then went on to ask her what time she got off? She said that she was done at 6pm, so I told her I had some stuff to do in Charlotte, but I would be back at 6 to take her clubbing. Still with that blank stare, she said okay.
So, I left that store and drove back to Columbia. I didn't take her out. I was back in Columbia by 6pm. The next day, I told my friend how the encounter went. We had a good laugh about it. I am sorry that the woman in Charlotte didn't get a date that night with me, but she wasn't really into guys after all. And, she never knew that my friend told me about her. It was perfect revenge.
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