As I was leaving the campground office on Monday after signing in for our reservation, I complimented a man I passed on his aftershave. Actually, I told him he smelled good as I walked by. Taken aback, the man stuttered a bit and thanked me and I went on. Following us back into the campground, he stopped to chat while Denny maneuvered the rig back into our site (on the first try, thank you very much) and we started to unhitch the fifth wheel and get all hooked up and settled in. It turns out he noticed our Ohio license plates and wanted to know where we were from in Ohio. Introducing himself as Roger, it turns out he was born in Dayton (as was I) and worked for many years in Cincinnati (where Denny grew up). We chit-chatted a while, but then Denny and I had to finish getting our set up chores completed properly so Roger took off.
Yesterday in the midst of our howling wind/dust storm (winds gusting to 50 mph) there was a knock on our door and Roger stood there outside. Inviting him in, Roger then proceeded to entertain us for the next two and a half hours. An insurance salesman and business owner by trade, a b-s'er by nature, Roger dropped names and told stories non-stop. Now you have to understand that Roger was born a generation ahead of me, but the Dayton he knew was the Dayton of my childhood and I could relate and remember as he talked of chats with Woody Hayes of OSU football fame, and of meeting Caeser Romero when he was in town performing with John Kenley's Kenley Player productions. That was Dayton in the days when you dressed up to ride the bus downtown to go to the RKO Keith theatre to see the latest Disney film with your aunt and your cousins and had a lunch at Kresge's soda fountain counter afterwards. Roger also was familiar with many of the Cincinnati landmarks of Denny's youth like the Cincinnati Zoo, Coney Island and the Conservatory, places that my grandparents would also take us as kids. It was fun to talk about the places we loved as children, most of which are long gone now.
Roger and his wife Darlene will be moving on tomorrow, but because I took a moment to appreciate the fact that he smelled good, Denny, Roger and I spent an enjoyable afternoon reminiscing and we made a new friend.
Yesterday in the midst of our howling wind/dust storm (winds gusting to 50 mph) there was a knock on our door and Roger stood there outside. Inviting him in, Roger then proceeded to entertain us for the next two and a half hours. An insurance salesman and business owner by trade, a b-s'er by nature, Roger dropped names and told stories non-stop. Now you have to understand that Roger was born a generation ahead of me, but the Dayton he knew was the Dayton of my childhood and I could relate and remember as he talked of chats with Woody Hayes of OSU football fame, and of meeting Caeser Romero when he was in town performing with John Kenley's Kenley Player productions. That was Dayton in the days when you dressed up to ride the bus downtown to go to the RKO Keith theatre to see the latest Disney film with your aunt and your cousins and had a lunch at Kresge's soda fountain counter afterwards. Roger also was familiar with many of the Cincinnati landmarks of Denny's youth like the Cincinnati Zoo, Coney Island and the Conservatory, places that my grandparents would also take us as kids. It was fun to talk about the places we loved as children, most of which are long gone now.
Roger and his wife Darlene will be moving on tomorrow, but because I took a moment to appreciate the fact that he smelled good, Denny, Roger and I spent an enjoyable afternoon reminiscing and we made a new friend.
2 comments:
Speaking of Dayton, have you ever had a steak at the Pine Club?
I have always believed in passing on a simple honest compliment. At the least it will bring a smile. :-)
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