| |
 |
 |
Why does a guy named Mazda drive a Silver Seraph Rolls Royce? Is it
his ego? Is he a closet James Bond enthusiast in addition to being a
car nut? Does he believe that being wrapped in galvanized steel is
safer on the road today? Does he simply enjoy the finest things in
life? Or is it, simply, a dream come true?
I saw Rolls Royce cars in the movies, but it was 1974 that I saw my
first Rolls in person. My summer job was at the Golden Inn, Avalon
New Jersey. I was a lifeguard by day and parked cars at night for
the restaurant. One night a 1963 Cloud III pulled up. “Now that car
makes a statement!” I thought to myself. The man opened his door and
asked me if I knew how to drive a Rolls. “No sir.” I responded. He
gave me a quick lesson and then I assured him I would only be moving
it up ten feet to clear the walk way. I had no intention of putting
it in the lot. After his dinner he tipped me $10! I kept that
parking stub and wrote on the back of it: “Rolls Royce tip $10. One
day I will own a Rolls Royce.”
I spent the end of the 1970’s at Drexel University. I didn’t live on
campus for several reasons, primarily due to time consuming flying
lessons and evening real estate classes. It was at real estate
school that I met a woman named Jayne Schneider. She had problems
with the math and asked if I would tutor her for the exam. She was
almost as old as my mother and had three children all about my age.
Our friendship grew and when she finally became a licensed real
estate agent, we went out to celebrate. Over the years we would get
together for our birthdays in January and talk frequently on the
phone. Her husband and my parents never understood our friendship
but it lasted the rest of her life. One night at our birthday dinner
I was talking about my dream car dilemma. I will never forget Jayne
saying, “You’re a Rolls Royce kind of guy and you don’t even know it
yet.”
In 1981 I moved to Honolulu, Hawaii and sold executive compensation
programs, defined benefit plans and the then little known 401(k).
Looking back, it is difficult to believe that several business
owners on the island threatened to have me put in jail for selling
401(k)’s. They believed it would erode the Social Security wage
base. Congress, at the time, had not issued any regulations. With
the help of Senator Spark Matsunaga (now deceased) and my former
boss, Bob Midkiff, we were able to provide Washington with my
participation data that justified keeping 401(k) around for the
average American worker. Once, when I returned from a mainland
business trip, my wife hired a limo to pick me up at Honolulu
International Airport. The limo was the only Silver Cloud Rolls
Royce on the i sland. I remember being told it was the former car of
Queen Elizabeth. We drove around in “Cloud 9” as the license plate
indicated sipping champagne and enjoying the Oahu scenery. “Now this
is first class.” I remember saying with a big smile.
Years later as CFO of Nationwide Discount Sleep Centers in
Philadelphia from 1989 thru 1999, I would debate with my partners
about a Rolls Royce being an acceptable company car. One year, Frank
Kerbeck invited me to a Rolls Royce showing at his dealership. Since
my wife was traveling, I asked my old friend Jayne Schneider if she
would like to join me. She forgot about the date. Sadly, a week
later she died of a heart attack. After we sold the Sleep Centers, I
continued to visit Paul Wayne, the Rolls Royce salesman, at Kerbeck
in New Jersey. Paul would always be more than happy to let me
test-drive any car on the floor. Three years went by and he finally
came right out and said, “Are you ever going to buy one of these
cars? I think you should just get a new one because you won’t be
happy with the older ones that lack today’s technology.” “Paul”, I
remember responding, “If you get a midnight blue with cream
interior, call me.” Three weeks later he called. As soon as I saw
it, I said, “That’s me, wrap it up, where do I wire the money?” When
my wife, Cindy, and I drove it home we discussed names for the new
car. It only seemed appropriate to name her “Lady Jayne” after my
dear departed friend. She always said I was a Rolls Royce kind of
guy…and I suppose she knew me better than I knew myself, at the
time.
[continued on next page...]
Next Page >
|
|
|
 |
| The
Prudent Decision Maker The Prudent Decision
Maker is a quick guide to making smart choices in
all areas of life.
Click here
to learn more...
|
|
|
