THE FOOTNOTES

STILL NOT WITH THE PROGRAMSTILL NOT WITH THE PROGRAM World War Two had started while I had another year in High School, and most able bodied men were in the armed forces. Many jobs had to be filled by high school students, including delivering the laundry. That’s the job I had. I got the job one afternoon when an elderly gentleman, the owner of the laundry, brought our laundry to the house. He said his sons were in the army and he had nobody to make deliveries. I asked him how he would like to have a personable high school student, me, on the payroll. I told him I knew how to drive, but did not have driver’s license. He must have been desperate for help, so he told me he would help me get my license and hire me to make deliveries. He did that,. And I went to work afternoons. I got out of school at 11:30 A. M. and had all afternoon to work. I loved the job. I turned out to be the owner’s personal chauffeur, sometimes driving a luxurious LaSalle limousine. I was a celebrity in my own mind. I had the use of a laundry truck, often driving it home after work, driving it to school and then to work when I got out of school. Some mornings I would pick every kid in the neighborhood and drive them all to school I would have put the laundry out of business if I had had an accident. It took five minutes to dump off my passengers at the front door of New Britain High School. So, I had plenty of things to think about, and English wasn’t one of them. I had a window seat in the English class which overlooked South Main Street. I could see kids sneaking out of school going over to the Smoke Shop across the street, and could monitor everything going on outside. It was a pleasant location for my reverie. Miss Odin, another favorite teacher, had different objectives for her class and had some objection to mine. I was a regular in the Assistant Principal’s office, but still unfazed. Finally, one morning here came Miss Odin stomping up the aisle to my desk, “Robert! Do you think you are going to pass this course?” I assured her there was no problem, but I guess she disagreed by flunking me. I wound up having to take double English classes, and a general Biology class to graduate. I think you could say that In addition to whatever English I learned, I got a lesson in setting priorities/

end  of  W2   1946

Mara,  Peggy  on the   dance floor at the  reception

....."and   then  I  said...." 

Sergei is
 the  father of the  groom, Max

At  Max'  wedding

I  have  a  new   Dell  laptop  and  am  still trying to learn  how to  use it.  Here'  Moe and  Grandma Lynch

Spent last weekend visiting Jess and Pat. Got my fill of winter while I was there. They are doing well.