Quick question...

[EyeBJoe]

We'll Mr. Perry, here's the story of the large wooden cigar box. In the early days of my real estate career the n Dallas I was blessed to have a good friend who was in the same professional organization and who I considered a mentor. At the time, he was an officer of the First National Bank of Dallas and would invite me at on occasion to have lunch with him in the officer's dining room at the bank. It was high cotton for this old West Texas fella'. At the front door of the dining room was a white table cloth table with a very large Anthony & Cleopatra cigar box full of fine cigars. It was a beautiful mahogany box. About the second time at lunch with my friend I mentioned to him that if that cigar box were to ever be discarded or somehow become available, I would gladly buy it to use for some of my pocket knife collection. A few years later when the economy completely cratered in Texas and most of the Southwest U.S., The First National Bank along with 3 other of the largest banks in Dallas failed and were taken over by the Resolution Trust Corporation, a.k.a. the federal government. My friend lost his job along with hundreds of other bank employees. A few weeks later he walked into my office at work with that cigar box under his arm and said with a big grin, "I believe you were interested in this old box". I was stunned and could not find enough words of thanks. He went on to better things as a real estate professional, but he and that cigar box are ingrained in my memory forever. And, of course, I couldn't part with it.

Joe D.

[prairiedog]

Fascinating read Joe...enjoyed this background story. Most definitely a keeper!

[Paladin]

Joe,
Just to satisfy my curiosity, where in West Texas do you come from?

Ray

[EyeBJoe]

Ray, I hail from Lubbock and completed my education from first grade through Texas Tech there.


Joe D.

[Paladin]

Ray, I hail from Lubbock and completed my education from first grade through Texas Tech there.


Joe D.

Hey, by golly! I spent some time there over the years. Grad school, if I can count one semester and worked there after the 1970 tornado.

Ray