During the months leading up to that BIG day, Margot and I had spoken, planned and mapped out our way through retirement. It was finally decided that Margot, still having a job, would remain at work, this giving us the sense of independence that we had over the previous years. No change of lifestyle was the thought of the day. Her earnings were hers to use in anyway she desired and of course mine was to be shared equally after all the bills were paid. How did I.......ever get suckered into that!!!!!........well...another thought of the day. WE'LL GIVE IT A TRY!!!. (for 6 months and then re-evaluate). I still wanted to play golf but Margot was desperately trying to talk me into the travel idea. WHAT in the world would I want to travel for. That's what I have been doing for the past 39years? Well, guess you have figured out who won that argument.........I'll never forget those first 6 months of retirement.
The plan was a cut and dry one. TRAVEL.....was the name of the game. Anita's mother was visiting her from Sweden, (Anita, was, at that time, my boss but was also retiring the same time) Margot had gone to visit her sisters in Sweden and it was planned that Anita and I would go to the SAS Christmas party and the very next day Anita, her mom and I would leave Seattle for Miami, FL. meet Margot who would fly in from Sweden via Newark and the four of us would fly off to Aruba to start off our retirement.
DEC 5-------OFFICIALLY retired but also that night was the SAS Christmas party, held at the Swedish Cultural Center in downtown Seattle, with a view overlooking Lake Washington.. Great food, good friends and colleagues, outstanding band (and still one of the best) Bobby Madina (husband of one of our employees) and his red-hot chili peppers or something like that. Anyway, I convinced him, or did he convince me to sing NEW YORK, NEW YORK. and the party began.
If you would like to meet Bobby contact him at http://www.bobbymedina.com/ or get onto his facebook and you can listen to his music. He loves to JUMP AND JIVE.
That night we had a snow storm, left the party a little early with another couple, the lady, Inge was taking Anita's place in Seattle. We dropped Inge and Fred off at their hotel near SeaTac airport and after having a couple of guys, ( I would have loved to give these guys $20 apiece but once I got my wheels moving, I had to keep going) help us get out of a snow drift that we had slid into made our way on the freeway back to Anita's dropped her off and made my way home. During the night, the snow had stopped and come morning I made it back to Anita's house to pick her and her mom up and off to the Airport. Our flight departed on time and went via Houston to Miami. Arrived pretty much on time and we started to search for Margot. We caught up with her and now the four of us were on our way to sunny ARUBA!!!!
That night, we decided to go over to the Hilton Hotel for dinner and a little harmless gambling. After dinner the roulette tables began chanting our names so off we went. I remember leaving about 9PM to head back to our hotel just next door. Anita and her mom left at the same time but Margot decided to spend another hour at the table.
It was 0130, when I suddenly awoke, finding an empty unslept area of bed next to me. OH!! where was Margot, could someone had kidnapped her and killed her, hid her body in the bushes somewhere. I jumped out of bed, quickly got dressed and started to make my way over towards the Hilton. On the way, I visualised all kinds of bad things happening, to the extent I found myself looking into bushes along the sidewalk for her body. The distance was very short but the time seemed to stand still. I entered the Hilton main entrance, perhaps 15 minutes later, walked through the lobby with perhaps as many as 25-30 people mingling around, came to the Casino area, which was very active, .........intensely looked around and my eyes automatically went towards the roulette table area. There she was..........still in her same seat.........why Margot???, was a question I was asking myself as I approached the table. My question was soon answered. There sat Margot, the only person at the table, with stacks of chips (20 to a stack)........of all colors....... in front of her with a grin on her face as if she had just been crowned Queen of Sweden..............But....be strong Vito......don't act like some little puppy dog..........."MARGOT!.........Are you aware of what time it is" said I with a stern voice........."YES, but look at what I'm doing"........with a little touch of a sheepish grin......said she. " I really don't care, I think it's time to cash in and head back to the hotel " said I. as I turned and headed back to the door and towards our hotel, occasionally looking back to see if MY command had been followed. I made my way to our room, got ready for bed ...........and a discussion...........but as I watched the hands of the clock slowly move ahead I kept thinking of all the things I would say. Finally........the sound of the key into the door.......the click of the light switch and the entrance of that grin ........but no crown. " WELL, don't you feel foolish" were the first words I heard from her. "How you embarrassed me in front of the croupe" or whatever that guy is called that spins the wheel . "ME? ME? ME???" said I in reply to her question, as she calmly counted out in hundred dollar bills, enough to pay for this vacation....... and the next one coming up. "Yah, I do honey, but I was worried about you" All that needed to be replied by her .......was............"DON'T do it again.................................. OH!!!! WAS this what retirement was going to be like?????? YYYYYAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!! SHOW ME THE MONEY!!!!!!!
