Breckenridge, Colorado
During the summer of 1961, I found myself employed as a laborer, working construction on what was to become the Town House Motel, located at Kellogg and Broadway in Wichita, Kansas. Several other East High grads were also working there.
Once the motel opened, I was asked if I wanted to be the lifeguard at their swimming pool. What a deal! I took the job and immediately got acquainted with the maids, who kept me in cinnamon rolls and cool-off time in rooms next to the pool while they were cleaning. Big time pay of $1.00 per hour, fifty hours a week.
I met a variety of people while I was life-guarding. One fellow was superintendent of construction on a ski slope at a place in Colorado by the name of Breckenridge. Some businessmen in Wichita were helping finance the project and held meetings at the Town House Motel.
Jim Brammer, 1942-2009
The superintendent and I became friends while checking out the scenery around the pool. He invited me to Colorado to work on clearing areas for the ski slopes. I could bring some buddies with me if they would be good workers. That didn’t take long. Jim Brammer (right), Buzz Warren and I headed for Colorado two days later.
We picked up Floyd Watson (left) in Denver, headed for the mountains, and thought we were in hog heaven. Four guys, my dog Fang, and my ’57 Chevy convertible (which I wish I still had).
Arriving two days later, we learned that the project was stalled because of a lawsuit over the mineral rights. On the site, we were told to stick around, because the lawsuit might be resolved in a week. Ten days later – nothing – and we had to move on. We had been camping out and had eaten what little food we brought from home. Fang was running out of dog food, so I was sharing my Campbells soup with him. Definitely, time to move on.
We decided to go to Boulder, Colorado, because Buzz knew some guys going to summer school at Colorado U. We connected. They were good guys and told us we could stay with them and sleep on the floor, but we had to contribute with food. Not a problem. There was a White Owl grocery store down the street from our location.
We paid the White Owl a visit and hauled away quite a lot of groceries. Everything was tucked down our pants and under our shirts. Out the door and in the car. We were in business.
Two days later, we were running low on supplies and decided to return to the White Owl. Six guys can eat a lot of food.
We were not so lucky on the second visit. As we approached the checkout counter, we noticed a couple of men and two police officers giving us the eye. We were easy to spot as Brammer was carrying a large watermelon on his shoulder, and Watson had gone out for a pass I threw, which was a package of hot dogs. We might have had too many adult beverages around the pool!!
We were motioned over to where the police were and had a discussion about petty theft.
I can’t imagine why, but I pulled out my checkbook and offered to pay, but they would not agree. The account was overdrawn anyway. The store manager and officers escorted us to the office and told us to drop our trousers to reveal what we had stolen. We had not taken them as seriously as they intended. When they got to me and asked for ID, I began to pull down my cut-off jeans. I was not wearing underwear. They did not think it was as funny as I did and proceeded to put bracelets on both wrists. Watson and Brammer soon joined me and then we were told we would be receiving a courtesy ride in their van (paddy wagon) Destination: the Boulder Cross Bar Motel (cute).
We met with the judge after waiting three hours. Being in a college town, he had encountered dumb-asses like me before. He was very firm, but fair. Bottom line, he gave us 24 hours to leave Boulder, and if we didn’t and were picked up again, we would live in their facility for thirty days minimum. The Frito Banditos hit the road.
What started out as a fun idea at a motel in Wichita ended up in quite a different motel in Boulder.
What was the life lesson learned from this carefree experience to help me grow professionally? WEAR UNDERWEAR!
Hilarious story, Dan. It reminded me of the time I went shopping at Spencer’s joke shop and purchased plastic vomit and plastic dog poop. A few days later I noticed a large group of you senior boys at a lunch table, walked over and leaned down to tell you that I did not feel well. Then I made a vomit sound and splatted the plastic barf on your cafeteria tray and thoroughly enjoyed watching you guys scrambling to get away from me. I was thoroughly entertained! I saved the dog poop for a date. I placed it near the driver’s seat and watched my date flip out over some “damn cat” that had used his car seat. I reached over and picked it up, laughing and enjoying the moment, too. Of course I had sons who loved Spencer’s and paid me back in spades!