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Michael Chang at the 2014 US Open |
And that got me thinking about how most of us will
have occasion to meet some famous people through our lives; usually not
live-changing events, but a memory that stands out for some time.
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Tom Hanks as Forrest Gump |
Although Mary’s life was no parallel to Forrest
Gump, the fictional character who met Elvis Presley, “Bear” Bryant, John F.
Kennedy and numerous others, she did have one more significant meeting: with
Pat O’Brian, the actor who was unsuccessful in luring her uncle from a dental career in Wisconsin to Hollywood. We saw him in On Golden Pond, when he was
likely approaching eighty, and were impressed with the actor trait that dropped
twenty years off his age, voice, and movement the minute he was in front of an
audience.
She tells of one more: a Congressman from Illinois
who, recognizing her need for nourishment held then two year-old Sean while she
wolfed down a quick snack (when airlines still served food). She doesn’t remember his name, possibly
because he followed many similar Chicago politicians into infamy, but I
remember he was a figure of national prominence.
We also met Peter Bonerz on more than one occasion
at Marquette events. You may remember
Peter as a regular on the Bob Newhart Show.
My recollections include Pancho Gonzalez, who was
ranked World #1 for a record eight years.
I met him at a cocktail party in
Newport, Rhode Island, where he was being honored and I had the good
fortune to have a sabbatical year at the Naval War College.
My next one of note was Orson Bean, who I met in St.
Thomas, an event I chronicled in my book, Harnessing a Heritage. I had an
opportunity to meet him again about thirty years and at least two wives later
(him, not me) when we saw him in a play at the Segerstron Center.
I’ve been fortunate through my life to meet many
people, famous and/or in high positions, including dozens of dental Admirals,
several of whom danced with my mother and were friends of my father. Unfortunately, it seems like most of the ones
I know have passed, some very recently.
In my corporate world, I met several leaders, the most impressive probably being
Leonard. B. Schaeffer, who headed WellPoint for several of the ten years I was
there. I was fortunate enough to score a
coup in 2000, when I got him to be the keynote speaker at the CADP Annual
Conference.
My almost forty years of professional acting has put
me on the stage or screen with several notable stars, my favorite being Danny
DeVito, who is shorter than me and had trouble with his lines.
When I remember these contacts I am reminded of a
true story I tell about meeting a corpsman friend, out of the service and into
the dental supply industry. He met Mary
and me at a cocktail party and, after some “what have you been doing”
chit-chat, left saying, “I want to thank you for changing my life.” As he walked away, Mary asked me what I did,
and I truthfully said, “I have no idea.”
It’s a humbling thought to think that I might be on
someone’s list as Michael Chang is on Mary’s.
I’m sure that those of you who think back on your life will find people
similar to mine and perhaps even instances similar to that of me and my
corpsman.
In my next Post I intend to explore a new field of opportunity. I am calling it The Rise of the Scribes. Please plan to join me.
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