LETTERS: Thanks for the memories
To the Editor:
If you are between the ages of 15 and 100, I'm sure you recognize "Thanks For The Memories," as being the song Bob Hope sang at the end of his performances.
For more than 80 years Americans have laughed with Bob while listening or watching his radio and TV shows. Wherever he performed and whatever medium he performed through, he was loved and respected. But, his biggest fans were the service men and women around the world who saw his USO shows. Hundreds of thousands of service personnel were entertained by this great American.
In the early 1980s I was fortunate enough to sit in the front row for his show at the Pensacola Air Station in Florida. At that time Bob was in his latter 70s and was very sharp and funny. He had no "cue" cards and seemed to "shoot from the hip" for one and one-half hours with stories and jokes and of course finishing the show with "Thanks for the Memories." The Naval Air Station personnel loved him and so did I. As he was singing, I thought how very fortunate I was to see him in person. I was sitting about 15 feet from the stage and wondered if there was some way to shake his hand. After seeing all the Military Police guarding Mr. Hope, I knew this wasn't possible so I left knowing the evening was a once-in-a lifetime event for a girl from Kansas.
Did I say ONCE in a lifetime? How about TWICE in a lifetime.
A year later at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida I was asked to be on a committee to organize a USO/BOB HOPE Golf Tournament to be played at the MacDill golf course. After a year of planning, the big day arrived. Bob Hope was chauffeured in a bronze Rolls Royce car as a band played "his" song and every general, colonel, and hundreds of airmen were there to shake his hand.
I was standing in the back of the crowd and still wondering about the possibility of getting that handshake I wanted so much. As I stood there dreaming of that possibility, a friend shocked me back to reality by saying Bob Hope was calling for ME.
The base commander told Bob of the hard work I had done — being the only woman on the committee. As I talked to him, I not only got my handshake but also a kiss.
I don't remember much after that and I don't think my golf shoes touched the course until the eighth hole.
As I was standing next to the tee waiting for Mr. Hope to hit on the par 3 hole, he asked me what club he should use. I told him that I used an 8-iron, but maybe he should use a 7-iron. After he stopped laughing he hit the 7-iron onto the green and I got another handshake.
He had a way of making everyone feel special — even a young girl from Kansas.
Thanks Mr. Hope for all the wonderful memories — twice in a lifetime.
Margie Schwartz
Marion
