April Fools Day & Happy Birthday Dad!
The life he had to put up with because of being a April fools baby...Issue # 82
ifOnlyi…had known my Dad would be honored for his life’s achievements after his passing, I could have shared that with him. He was an extraordinary person, and more people worldwide loved him than a calculator could measure. He possessed wisdom from an early age, a quality I wish I could claim; however, wisdom came to me much later.
Extreme Talent and business savvy!
My Dad disliked publicity, unlike my mom, who thrived on it. Whenever the Press wanted to interview him, he would always say, " No, thank you " or " Please talk to my wife. "
He established his business in Los Angeles County, California. The state has 58 counties. L.A. has over 88 cities, spanning more than 4,000 square miles, and over 10 million residents.
Yet his success extended far beyond California, reaching every state in the United States and 36 countries. His responsibilities in international business included designing products, sourcing and building factories, establishing production facilities, and ensuring his designs were made to perfection.
I experienced this firsthand over three consecutive months in the summer of 1976 while traveling with him through Asia, and later, I had the chance to join him on several other trips throughout his career.
One of the greatest honors I observed in my lifetime was the day of his memorial service when the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors canceled their monthly meeting in tribute to my Dad.
Although he never granted an interview or spoke to the Press, the Board of Supervisors knew him, his passions, and his love for children.
His entire business, Worldwide, focused on kids. He maintained a low profile, and publicity simply wasn’t what he desired or what motivated him. The Press often hurt him rather than helped him during his business career.
April 1st is not only April Fools' Day but also Dad’s birthday! Over the years, my mom, his wife, the office staff, and friends consistently found ways to make his birthday memorable.
Dad and I have also celebrated several birthdays together, just the two of us.
My wife and I ensured that his 80th birthday was a special occasion, bringing together family and friends, many of whom he had not seen in years. This was three years before he passed away.
Given how much Dad traveled and the 25 to 30 extra pages added to his passports due to a lack of space for visas or entry and exit stamps, I considered this a perfect opportunity to surprise him on his birthday.
I am thrilled to possess every passport he ever owned; they contain so much of his life. It was all his travels that sparked the idea for his birthday. Given that he was the second most frequent passenger with Pan American Airlines, I knew this would be fun. The passport is ordinary and equipped with extra pages.
Shortly before this birthday, I met a beautiful woman from Sweden who had a great sense of humor and was studying acting. I devised an outrageous idea to prank him on his birthday, which would be perfect. It took some real schmoozing before she agreed to participate, and here’s how it unfolded.
I asked her if she knew of a young boy around nine years old. She looked at me with a funny expression, as if to say, " What the heck? " I needed her to bring him to Dad's house with her.
She agreed when she heard my plan, thought it was great, and agreed to collaborate. How cool, considering that she didn’t even know my Dad! I had to tell her what kind of person he was and reassure her not to be afraid, but to perform her best act.
His apartment complex had tight security, yet sometimes, if the gate was left open long enough, you could drive right through it. She was fortunate and made it straight through.
She parked outside his apartment and walked to the front door with this little 9-year-old boy holding her hand. When she rang the doorbell, Dad finally opened it and said, "Hello there." He always was pleasant. How can I help you? She instantly said, "You don’t remember me." She called him by his name, and Dad began thinking quickly about where we met. Switzerland! Oh, yeah.
Yes, ten years ago, we met just outside your hotel when I was visiting Geneva for a few days. You invited me to dinner that night. We enjoyed a delicious meal and had the bar and the restaurant in stitches laughing. It was a fantastic all-night event.
I have wanted to get in touch for a while now.
Dad, being Dad, invited them into his home. " May I offer you a drink? " The boy- what would he like? " Well, yes, that would be great," she says, and enters the big surprise. " I can’t do this any longer alone. This is your son. I had to find you and introduce you to your boy. I named him Percy. We lived back in Sweden for half a year."
“MY SON?” Dad blurted out, almost choking on a sip of whiskey.
"Really! When did you say we met? " While she explained the timing, his mind went into overdrive. "You said Switzerland? I did stay in that hotel, " he continued to slow-roll the conversation, offering snacks and another drink as he pondered, “Was I or wasn’t I there at that time?”
He realized he hadn’t traveled to that part of Europe at the time of year she had mentioned. He excused himself, went to his bedroom, and called me!"
“Ollie, nice try! You should have known the months I was in Switzerland. You got the city, the hotel, and the year right, but your timing is WRONG.” He slammed the phone down as if to say, " I got you, son." He walked back in and told her he had checked his passport and wasn’t in the country then.
She started laughing and said, " April Fool! Ollie wishes you a Happy Birthday!" The two shared a good laugh, and as a kind gesture, he took them to Admiral Risty's, down the hill from his home, for dinner. He was kind and generous like that.
Dad had already been divorced for 15 years by then. He chose to remain a single man after the painful separation and divorce from my mother. Dad was a very kind, loving, and generous father when we were able to spend time with him. The divorce had a significant impact on my sisters and me.
Loved by so many, Dad lit up every room he entered. He had that confidence… “Je Ne Sais Quoi,” that swagger, that style, and charisma. You wanted to meet him, even to shake his hand.
He was unique; his mind was extraordinary. I am honored to call him “My Dad”.
….ifOnlyi…. short stories follow my true-life journey. If you've just found me, you can check out my first story about Black Foxe Military Academy in Hollywood, from when I was four. Or go directly to my publication and choose a story of interest there.
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What a fun post to read, Ollie! I'll bet it was fun writing it, too! That would be a rare birthday, for sure with people pranking you all day. Thank you for the grins today, my friend.