While on a cross-country flight, I met a man who turned idealism into financial reward in the most unlikely of places—high-rolling Las Vegas. (Continuing the Conversation…)
When the plane came to a stop on the runway, the pilot announced that we had to wait for a gate to open before we could disembark. “Keep your seatbelt fastened for about fifteen more minutes,” he said. “Bad weather in Boston caused this slight delay.”
“Bad weather in Boston gives me time to tell you about the day I met my idol,” Jack said.
“It’s another good story,” Cindy chimed in, “if you can stand one more!”
“Tell me,” I said as I pulled the strap on my seatbelt a little tighter, happy for something to do.
“I was standing at the chapel door as a man got out of a cab. He had sunglasses on, and he was alone. Then I saw a silver bullet pinned to his lapel. I knew it was Clayton Moore, the Lone Ranger! I said, ‘Are you lost? This is a wedding chapel, not a place for lone rangers!’ He laughed at my recognition and said he wasn’t lost but his bride-to-be might be. I put him in my car and drove him to the condo where she was staying with friends. They hadn’t returned to pick her up—they were waiting for roadside assistance to repair a flat tire. Mr. Moore and I left her there and went back to the chapel, stopping along the way to pick up some extra roses and champagne.
“After we had planned and talked for a few hours, the future Mrs. Moore showed up with her friends, ready to be wed. At that point I asked, ‘Do you want us to play “The Wedding March” for you?’
“‘No! I want “The William Tell Overture.”’ Clayton jumped in and said, ‘Well, “The William Tell Overture” was the TV show’s theme song, and “Hi-ho, Silver” was the tagline.’ Remember that? It was my favorite show. I felt like a kid again, but only for a second.
“The bride-to-be then said, ‘Clayton, will you grow up?’
“But, men being boys, I whispered something into Clayton’s ear. And as Clayton and his new wife drove off down the Las Vegas Strip in a silver Cadillac after the ceremony, he looked back and shouted, ‘Hi-ho, Silver!’”
I smiled at Cindy. “I see why you like that story. Jack, what’s next for you? Are you planning to retire?”
“From business, in a few years, but not from life. I’ve had to recognize the reality of who I am, and I’ve learned to have faith in myself as a part of something greater. I’ll always want to quantify my passion for helping people in love with love. So, I’ll go on with the company a minor capacity, but I’ll let the young take center stage in the business operations.”
As the seatbelt sign extinguished, Cindy kissed him on the hand, and we all jostled to our feet.
That night on my way to dinner, I clearly recalled Jack’s parting words: “We live in a great country, this America. Here, you can live free and be anything you want to be.”
Yes, I thought, thanks to heroes like Jack, others will know that they, too, can make any dream come true!
~~~
Read the complete success story in the book, The Quiet Rich: Ordinary People Reawakening an American Dream.
Kevin J. Palmer, Author
The Quiet Rich
