The Wild Rover
03-07-08, 04:10 PM
Many of you know me personally, so you know I have a hard time with the Americanizing done by the media in our country. Brittany, Lindsey, Paris...none of this would be as it is today if it was not for the gossip hungry American housewife needing to know what these bimbos are up to being fed by the media machine...it makes our lives easier to see others with so much going for them....have a hard time in life or perhaps fall on hard times. It seems like we can relate easier with our lives. Death gets us all.
Just yesterday, Patrick Swayze was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. That would be hard for anyone, and I know that many out there have lost loved ones to cancer...it's hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel, being so young...he's 55.
Anyhow, I thought it would be nice to share my story of getting next to someone famous, without overwhealming them with the media and just plain stupid hounding them for an autograph...
We were installing the telecommunications system in Sophia Bulgaria, for the entire NOB. I lived in an apartment house about 20 minutes walk from the site. I was above the bar and eating establishment. Every American on the job drank there (I know..stupid as far as security goes..sue me), but none the less, we all frequented the establishment nightly. Little is known of this country, but to say the city of Sophia is much like the small towns of the US would be pretty close. One of the attractions was that 15 minutes by car, and you were in old Europe...villages, mountain views...I wish I had bought property before they joined the EU. Anyhow, another attraction of this country was that many film crews, and by that I mean US made movies, are made there because of the beauty and the cost expense is better that the USA. It is untouched by billboards outside the city. There were several celebrities that frequented the bar and the fancy resturant attached to my apartment house...and many of the construction hands saw them, and left them alone...We let them be, they will let you know when you are invited into their world. Kind of like the way many of us like it...anonymous is better.
While I was there, my wife, Nadia, decided to come visit. At this time, she was 6 months pregnant, and coming from Belarus by train was the only way they would allow her to travel. She set up house and enjoyed the beautiful people, sights and bounty of food.
My wife decided to go shopping for some of this food, and spent the day shopping like many of our wives do when they realize the money is plentyful and the goods are nice and cheap...besides, what am I going to do with it, but give it to her anyhow, you know! She decided I didn't have enough food for a pregnant woman...for example, my beer supply was not enough to sustain her, and she loaded up on what she could and decided to head home. On the way home, two guys approached her, and my wife recognizing them, struck up a conversation and before you know it, they were hauling her goods on the promise of some tea and a home cooked meal, they were going her way. Now, mind you, I like to keep plenty of beer and wine on hand at all times, and a bottle of the Irish just in case the Pope drops by unannounced as has happened...(it could have, how would you know)
So during this time I am slaving down at the jobsite, these guys are drinking my brew, and stealing my wife with their charm and charisma, lets face it...I do not have those traits. None of this is known to me by the way, until I walk through the door at 5:30, all dirty and ready to relax. My wife met me at the door, and told me some friends of hers were in the living room, and that they were good friends, so I should just go in and be at home. When I walked into the room, I was greeted by 2 actors from many American films...Patrick Swayze and Dolph Londgren. Both stood up to greet me, and I was, needless to say, kind of suprised. We drank all night, ate my wifes Russian food, and shared our funny stories until late into the early morn. Not once did I bother them for an autograph, or gossip, or anything like that. Both were gentlemen, both are very educated men...Dolph has a Masters degree in Chemical Engineering from MIT!!! I could only hope my sons achieve that. Both are men from simple families, and both are welcome in my house any day.
So I consider this. My wife still talks to them through e-mail on ocassion, and she is now heartbroken about Mr. Swayze being sick. I would like to say that I consider Mr. Swayze a brother Rat...he worked overseas many times, and I wish him a speedy recovery. I will not bother him, as he has to get his house in order...I can only hope I am afforded the same when it is my time to go.
I'll drink to all my friends that have taken that path to the here-after, so that someday I may join them in the Halls of Vallhallah.:cheers
Just yesterday, Patrick Swayze was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. That would be hard for anyone, and I know that many out there have lost loved ones to cancer...it's hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel, being so young...he's 55.
Anyhow, I thought it would be nice to share my story of getting next to someone famous, without overwhealming them with the media and just plain stupid hounding them for an autograph...
We were installing the telecommunications system in Sophia Bulgaria, for the entire NOB. I lived in an apartment house about 20 minutes walk from the site. I was above the bar and eating establishment. Every American on the job drank there (I know..stupid as far as security goes..sue me), but none the less, we all frequented the establishment nightly. Little is known of this country, but to say the city of Sophia is much like the small towns of the US would be pretty close. One of the attractions was that 15 minutes by car, and you were in old Europe...villages, mountain views...I wish I had bought property before they joined the EU. Anyhow, another attraction of this country was that many film crews, and by that I mean US made movies, are made there because of the beauty and the cost expense is better that the USA. It is untouched by billboards outside the city. There were several celebrities that frequented the bar and the fancy resturant attached to my apartment house...and many of the construction hands saw them, and left them alone...We let them be, they will let you know when you are invited into their world. Kind of like the way many of us like it...anonymous is better.
While I was there, my wife, Nadia, decided to come visit. At this time, she was 6 months pregnant, and coming from Belarus by train was the only way they would allow her to travel. She set up house and enjoyed the beautiful people, sights and bounty of food.
My wife decided to go shopping for some of this food, and spent the day shopping like many of our wives do when they realize the money is plentyful and the goods are nice and cheap...besides, what am I going to do with it, but give it to her anyhow, you know! She decided I didn't have enough food for a pregnant woman...for example, my beer supply was not enough to sustain her, and she loaded up on what she could and decided to head home. On the way home, two guys approached her, and my wife recognizing them, struck up a conversation and before you know it, they were hauling her goods on the promise of some tea and a home cooked meal, they were going her way. Now, mind you, I like to keep plenty of beer and wine on hand at all times, and a bottle of the Irish just in case the Pope drops by unannounced as has happened...(it could have, how would you know)
So during this time I am slaving down at the jobsite, these guys are drinking my brew, and stealing my wife with their charm and charisma, lets face it...I do not have those traits. None of this is known to me by the way, until I walk through the door at 5:30, all dirty and ready to relax. My wife met me at the door, and told me some friends of hers were in the living room, and that they were good friends, so I should just go in and be at home. When I walked into the room, I was greeted by 2 actors from many American films...Patrick Swayze and Dolph Londgren. Both stood up to greet me, and I was, needless to say, kind of suprised. We drank all night, ate my wifes Russian food, and shared our funny stories until late into the early morn. Not once did I bother them for an autograph, or gossip, or anything like that. Both were gentlemen, both are very educated men...Dolph has a Masters degree in Chemical Engineering from MIT!!! I could only hope my sons achieve that. Both are men from simple families, and both are welcome in my house any day.
So I consider this. My wife still talks to them through e-mail on ocassion, and she is now heartbroken about Mr. Swayze being sick. I would like to say that I consider Mr. Swayze a brother Rat...he worked overseas many times, and I wish him a speedy recovery. I will not bother him, as he has to get his house in order...I can only hope I am afforded the same when it is my time to go.
I'll drink to all my friends that have taken that path to the here-after, so that someday I may join them in the Halls of Vallhallah.:cheers