Lest we forget ..........

The information below is readily available for reference, in case you are asked by your child or a co-worker who might express indignation that something is getting in the way of all the sales, as to the purpose of the day. 

"No, little girl, we don't eat the big meal so we can stock up and go shopping, it is a day to be thankful for what we have."

"Yes, mister, but don't forget Cyber Monday, too, is that really Marilyn Monroe?"

Pilgrims a name commonly applied to early settlers of the Plymouth Colony in present-day Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States. Their leadership came from the religious congregations of Brownest English Dissenters who had fled the volatile political environment in England for the relative calm and tolerance of 16th–17th century Holland in the Netherlands. 

The Mayflower was the Pilgrim ship that in 1620 made the historic voyage from England to the New World. The ship carried 102 passengers in two core groups – religious Separatists coming from Holland and a largely non-religious settler group from London. This voyage has become an iconic story in the earliest annals of American history with its tragic story of death and of survival in the harshest New World winter environment. The culmination of the voyage in the signing of the Mayflower Compact is one of the greatest moments in the story of America, providing the basis of the nation's present form of democratic self-government and fundamental freedoms.

Thanksgiving Day is a national holiday celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada as a day of giving thanks for the blessing of the harvest and of the preceding year. Several other places around the world observe similar celebrations. It is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States and on the second Monday of October in Canada. Thanksgiving has its historical roots in religious and cultural traditions, and has long been celebrated in a secularmanner as well.

Another missed opportunity .... or two

I have mentioned that, perhaps, I was in a position, or could have had the opportunity, to sit on his porch, and talk with Orville Wright. It might have happened, but was not important at the time.

In the late 50's I went with a friend to meet L. Ron Hubbard, who was on the Seventh Floor of Harolds Club in Reno, meeting with some people, and giving a brief speech. I had read Dianetics, so I knew who he was, but then, he was just the guy who wrote the book. Someone said, "The crowd is thinning out, let's go over and talk with him." I didn't want to.

We attended a presentation one evening for Koscot, and Glenn Turner spoke, the couple that we went with, knew him, "Come on, let's go down and I will introduce you to him, we can chat a bit."

"Not now, let's head back to Newark."

On another occasion, my friend, Danny, who had a limo, in New York, was contracted to take a lady around to meetings in New York City, for the day. I opted not to go with him, I missed spending the day, possibly, with Debbie Reynolds.

Last, but not least, a few dealer friends of mind, and myself, had a night off. We decided to head to Lake Tahoe, go to the Cal Neva, to see Dean Martin who "might" be appearing there for his good friend. We partied a bit before we got there, hit a few other spots, and by the time we got there, well, I was feeling good, and getting short on money. To make a long story short, we roamed around, not taking reservations, room full, so Hoot saw the Maitre de's reservation book, erased a name and put in Dooley, party of four. Apparently, Frank saw him do it, joked with them a bit about it, and invited them in to his table in the lounge. I had gone out to gamble a little.

I shot craps, the boxman was an "old timer," he fit the part. I had a "shot" I had worked on for some time, could hold a "high" or a "low" side on one die. Got pretty good at it, Don Eammelli had shown me the shot. Anyway, and had enough to drink to be brave .... made some bets, tried the shot, it either worked some or I just got lucky, won a few hundred. But when I sevened out, on a six ace, I had held the six, the boxman beckoned me down to the end of the table. He looked at me  and said, "Son, I don't know what you were doing to me, I know you were doing something, so we would rather you take your action someplace else."

I headed to the bar, Hoot saw me and said, "Hey Joe, come on in with us, Frank is buying us a drink."

"No, I'm gonna go to the lounge, I want to hear Trini Lopez, I like that hammer song." I did, Trini was singing his one and only song, "If I Had A Hammer," which he sang over and over, I thought, who, FRANK!" Too late, they joined me in the bar, after having their drink with Sinatra. I did go to the rest room later and stood next to Trini ..... but .... I could have had a drink with Frank.

That same weekend, Sam and Dorothy were there, as was Marilyn and Ted, and rumor had it that perhaps John, his brother might have secretly flown in, the Gaming Commission spotted Sam there and Frank ultimately lost his license, and rumor has it that Frank and Marilyn might still be there, doing a little haunting.

Shoulda, coulda, woulda ...............

August 5, 1962 - Marilyn Monroe Dies

Marilyn Monroe was found dead in the bedroom of her Brentwood home by her psychiatrist Ralph Greenson after he was called by Monroe's housekeeper Eunice Murray on August 5, 1962.

She was 36 years old at the time of her death.

Her death was ruled to be "acute barbiturate poisoning" by Dr. Thomas Noguchi of the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office and listed as "probable suicide".

The death of Monroe has since become one of the most debated conspiracy theories of all time.