MY CONFESSION!
HERE IS A LITTLE STORY THAT HAPPENED TO ME, AND ONE OF MY FOND MEMORIES OF MR. STAMPS! IT WAS I BELIEVE 1967, AND MR. STAMPS WAS PUTTING ON ONE OF HIS EXCELLENT PRODUCTIONS OF “MISS BRONZE!” EVERYONE HAD HIS OR HER PLACE IN THE PROGRAM AND THE PRODUCTION CREW. BEN JONES, WILEY HARRIS AND OTHERS ON LIGHTS AND STAGE SET-UP…ALL CONTESTANTS IN ORDER….EVERYTHING HAD TO BE PERFECT!
THERE WERE TWO SPOTLIGHTS ON EACH SIDE OF THE BALCONY, I WAS ON ONE OF THEM. BEN TOLD ME THAT MY JOB WAS TO FOLLOW EACH CONTESTANT DOWN THE ISLE UNTIL THEY GOT ON STAGE, THEN FOLLOW THE NEXT ONE! SIMPLE?
THESE SPOTLIGHTS GOT QUITE HOT AFTER A WHILE, SO THE HANDLERS WERE GIVEN A SET OF WHITE MULES. WHITE MULES WERE HEAVY-DUTY GLOVES YOU HAD TO WEAR WHEN ON THE SPOTLIGHT! THE LAST THING WILEY TOLD ME THE DAY BEFORE THE EVENT WAS “DON’T FORGET YOUR GLOVES GOINS!” I TOOK MY GLOVES HOME, AND AS FATE WOULD HAVE IT FORGOT THEM THE NIGHT OF THE PADGENT! THERE WERE FIFTEEN CONTESTANTS, I BELIEVE, INTRODUCED BY MR. STAMPS, AND ONE AT A TIME THE TWO SPOTLIGHTS FOLLOWED THEM. BEARHANDED, I HAD MADE IT THROUGH ABOUT EIGHT WHEN THE SPOTLIGHT BEGAN TO GET HOT! AROUND CONTESTANT NUMBER TEN, IT WAS REALLY BURNING…. I HAD TO LET GO! MY SPOTLIGHT WENT STRAIGHT UP INTO THE AIR, AND MADE A GREAT BIG CIRCLE IN THE CEILING FOR A FEW SECONDS! I TRIED TO RECOVER IT, GOT BURNED AGAIN, AND THE SPOTLIGHT WENT UP INTO THE CEILING AGAIN!
WELL NEEDLESS TO SAY MR. STAMPS GOT ON THE PRIVATE UPSTAIRS INTERCOM AND UTTERED THESE WORDS AS ONLY MR. STAMPS COULD DO…. THESE WERE WORDS I COULD NEVER FORGET….
“WHO IS THAT FOOL, ON THAT SPOTLIGHT??”
MR. STAMPS NEVER FOUND OUT…..NO-ONE EVER TOLD…..I CONFESS….IT WAS ME!!!
LV. YOU!
MISS YOU!
MADLAD/ROBERT GOINS DHS-69!
P.S.
I AM SURE THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF GREAT “STAMPS” STORIES OUT THERE! I HAVE GOT A LOT OF RESPONSE FROM MINE! A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE ASKED ME WHAT HAPPENED TO ME AND THE SPOTLIGHT? WELL, I DID LEAVE YOU ALL HANGING, DIDN’T I? SOMEONE, I HAVE FORGOTTEN WHO, RUSHED ME A FEW OLD TOWELS FROM THE GYM, WHICH I WRAPPED AROUND THE SPOTLIGHT AND FINISHED THE PADGENT!
THE FIRST GRAVE MARKER WAS SO UNIQUE THAT YOU COULD SEE IT ON THE SATELLITE VIEW FROM SPACE ON GOOGLE MAPS!!
WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE GOOD FOLKS AT STERLING OIL COMPANY AT 2538 COBBS ST. IN LYNCHBURG, FOR THEIR SUPPORT OF THIS AND OTHER DUNBAR HIGH PROJECTS! STERLING OIL-434-845-0971!
DHS STAMPS BOOK
PRAISESONG FOR AN ALMA MATER!
HERE IS A COMMEMORATIVE BOOKLET THAT I DIDN’T EVEN KNOW EXISTED! WRITTEN AND AUTOGRAPHED BY L. GARNELL STAMPS IN 1989! THE ENTIRE BOOKLET HAS A BLUE TINT TO IT THAT I CLEARED UP AS BEST AS POSSIBLE!
