by Ed Nelson
After that, I hunted up Mr. Bell who was practicing his own archery and joined him for forty-five minutes. It felt good but I could see from soreness on my fingers where callouses would build up on my fingers if I kept it up. It also meant there was something wrong with my form. Mr. Bell agreed to watch me during a session later in the week.
Next for me to see was Sammy Dawson and the sword. He was busy with a student so I paired off with another stuntman. I was either pretty good or he had a long way to go. After fifteen minutes he gave up. By this time a short line had formed to try their hand at me. I had worked up a good sweat by the time I was done and had not been touched by any of the dull practice blades. I had numerous scores on my opponents.
By that time Mr. Dawson was free so we had a sword bout. It was sharp and quick. Somehow I disarmed him. He yielded at once. I asked him if I was that good or was he having a bad day.
“Rick, you don’t appreciate what your physical fitness brings to the party. Your fitness along with your reach, hand-eye coordination makes you a fearsome opponent. Plus you have put in some serious practice time. You are almost on a par with Basil Rathbone considered the best swordsman in the world. Don’t let it go to your head but you are good. Still don’t bring a knife to a gunfight.
Well, that was a good way to end my visit to the studio.
On the way home I passed a Ford dealership. I couldn’t help it I stopped in to check out the new 1960 T-Birds. There was one of those square looking T-Birds in Monte Carlo red with Kelsey-Hayes wire wheels. The retractable hardtop sold me. After a test drive, I tried some half-hearted negotiations but the salesman knew he had me.
Without fighting it I bought it with only a minor discount. I had my revenge when I wrote out a check for the full amount. At first, he didn’t want to take a check because I was too young and needed my parents to sign. I carried my letter of emancipation for these very circumstances.
Since there was no trade-in I arranged for the car to be prepped and delivered to Jackson House. They told me it would be there first thing in the morning. That turned out to be 9:00 which would be too late to make it to the studio so in turn arranged to pick it up here at the dealership. It had to be ready on time as I had an appointment at Warner Brothers.
I think that is when the salesman figured out who I was. I then had to go through being introduced to the entire staff. I think it was from the owner down to the guy who washed cars. Of course, by this time I was used to this and put on my professional face and glad-handed everyone. Actually, they were all nice people so I had no reason to be resentful.
I made it home just in time to rush around and change clothes for dinner. Everyone had a decent day from the sounds of it. At least the boys must have because they both responded ‘fine’ when asked.
Mary and her friend Patti were on the outs again. I’m not sure but I think Davey had woken up to the fact there were girls in the world and he picked Patty. That would do it.
I played some pool with the boys. They now both could beat me. I rationalized my losing as being good for their self-confidence.
From there it was to read more about the nuclear war and its outcome in Florida before I fell asleep.
Chapter 10
I had a limo take me to the Ford Dealership to pick up my new T-Bird. When I got there I told the driver to wait, I may need him to take me to the studio. The dealership had my car ready there was no doubt about that. It was sitting out front with a large bow on it. There were also about fifty people there and cameras set up.
I had intended to stop and drive my new car away. They intended a lot of ceremony and publicity for their dealership.
I saw the salesman standing with the owner I had met yesterday. I went over to him. He had his hand out to shake and a large smile. That got wiped out quickly.
“I told you I have an appointment this morning. I will pick up the car this afternoon. And I will not be giving you free publicity if you want to pay that is fine.”
I said that looking at the dealer. He was not a happy camper but I could care less as I turned and walked away. If they had listened to me I would have cooperated later but they hadn’t listened.
I spent my morning as agreed with Mr. Palmer on unarmed combat. A light lunch at the canteen and it was boxing, archery, and swords.
A studio runner found me as I was finishing up.
“There is a man at the front gate with a new Thunderbird which he says is yours.”
It was, the dealer had smartened up and had the car delivered. The salesman who had sold me the car was the driver. He asked me to drop him back off at the dealer. I told him I would but I hoped there would be no more games.
He said there wouldn’t be but for some reason, I didn’t trust him. I stopped half a block from their drive and told him that was as far as I was taking him. He wasn’t happy but got out of the car. As I drove by the entrance to the dealership I saw a small crowd and cameras. Some people never learn.
Other than a sour taste from the dealership I loved my new car.
When I related the events of the day at dinner, Dad asked me, “Are you going to call Ford?”
“What do you mean Ford?”
“Ford Headquarters, that conduct is unacceptable.”
“I think I will.”
In the morning I did just that. Detroit was three hours ahead of us so I had time. I had long-distance connect with the Ford Headquarters switchboard. Once there I asked for the complaint department. Then the run around started. I finally ended up with someone in their Quality Control Department.
When I explained my problem he told me I had the wrong Department. I needed to call the Dealer Relations group. He even offered to transfer me. I declined and dialed the switchboard back.
“This is Sir Richard Jackson calling for Henry Ford the Second.”
I didn’t expect to get through to him but at least I would be able to talk to someone in authority.
I was put through to an executive secretary who inquired as to the nature of my call. When I relayed it I was told that I needed to talk to their Dealership relations group. I told her that my next phone call would be to the press and left a number if someone desired to call me.
Within five minutes Mrs. Hernandez announced I had a call from Ford Motor Company. It was a Mr. Thompson, the Vice President of their Dealer Relations group. He was not impressed with my complaint, as a matter of fact, he thought their dealer was acting responsibly in getting them good publicity.
I thanked him for returning my call. I also remembered this was the same team that introduced the Edsel.
I wondered what to do next and had a bright idea. Do nothing. Why let those jerks upset me. I had the car I wanted and they had nothing. I think Mr. Ford should consider changing his management team soon before he loses his company.
It was another day at the studio stunt area practicing all my skills. At dinner that night Dad told me that the arrangements for our trip were coming along nicely. Mum had left for England this morning so it was a quiet group at dinner. I never realized how much she contributed to our conversations.
After dinner, I called Nancy Houston the girl I had met at Eddies Patrol Leaders House. She was surprised to hear from me. I asked if she would like to go roller skating on Saturday night. She hesitated.
“I’m not allowed to car date by myself. The only other friends I could invite are those you met swimming. That might not be the best thing to do.”
“Well can I come over on Saturday afternoon and we sit outside and talk.”
“That would be great. Of course, you would have to meet my parents.”
“I think I can handle that. I have met a lot of people.”
“But my Dad has always threatened to be cleaning a gun if I brought a boy to the house.”
“It won’t be the first time.”
“Okay then, why don’t you come over about 2:00 in the afternoon?”
“See you then.”
The next day was more of th
e same. At lunchtime, a studio runner found me in the canteen.
“Mr. Monroe would like to see you in his office when you can.”
That was better than the time I was drug there in full costume. When I got there he asked me why I had to keep shaking things up.
“What have I done this time?”
“I just got off the phone with Henry Ford the Second, Chairman of the Board, Ford Motor Company. It appears they feel they may have offended you.”
“Not really they just look at the world differently.”
I proceeded to explain what went on. He agreed with me, in our world publicity was a commodity that was bought and paid for. They seemed to think it was their right and that all would bow down to them.
Mr. Monroe had been asked to intercede for them and request that I do the publicity shots. Wow, Ford and I weren’t on different pages, it was different planets.
He dialed Ford back and put us on his speakerphone. After the opening greetings, I started the ball rolling.
“I get paid for public appearances. What is your proposal?”
“We thought you would allow your picture to be taken as a goodwill gesture.”
“Will you give me a Lincoln Continental as a goodwill gesture?”
“Well no, we make our living selling cars.”
“And I make mine by acting and selling my image to the public.”
I think a light started to go on.
“Sir Richard I think we have committed a huge error in how we handled this. How would you like to go forward?”
“Simple I bought a vehicle, now leave me alone.”
“That hardly seems cooperative.”
“There has been no incentive to be cooperative.”
“Could we meet face to face next week?”
“I have an appointment with The President of South Korea, The Prime Minister of Japan, The Royal Governor of Hong Kong and President of Taiwan.”
There was silence on the other end for a moment.
“What about the following week?”
“Then it is the Prime Ministers of New Zealand and Australia.”
“I’m afraid to ask, the following week?”
“The Queen of England is on my schedule.”
That was a fib, I would probably be with her but it sounded better this way.
“I believed you until the Queen of England.”
Mr. Monroe broke in, “Believe him, this is Jackson Enterprises, not the Actor.
“You mean the container people?”
“Yes, Sir Richard is the founder and owner of the company.”
“We have definitely misunderstood Sir Richard’s position. After meeting with the Queen when will you be coming back to America?”
“The following week I will have meetings with the State Department and Probably the White House on my return but I could probably drop by Detroit on my way home.”
“Please try to do so, and keep us posted.”
When I hung up the phone Mr. Monroe just looked at me for a while.”
“Where is that mild-mannered kid from Bellefontaine Ohio?”
“I think he grew up. They started this mess so it is on them. I don’t want to take it anywhere but they insist on keeping it going.”
“You really are going to see all those people aren’t you.”
“All of them for certain, the Queen is up in the air, she and Mum may have other plans for me.”
“Rick excuse me, I’m going to my office and have a belt.”
I returned to the lot wondering how I had got into a verbal fight with Ford Motor Company. I hoped they didn’t try to take my T-Bird back.
My heart wasn’t up for more practice so I took the afternoon off and drove around Hollywood.
At dinner, I brought the family up to date on my conversations with Ford. As one would expect Mum was ready to declare war. Fortunately, Dad had a better idea. After dinner, he called the White House.
I don’t know what was said but the upshot was that I would not be disturbed by the Ford people again. Dad did say that Ike had his uses after all.
The next several days went as planned. On Saturday afternoon I went over to Nancy’s house. Her Dad wasn’t cleaning a gun. He was washing his car. After introducing me, Nancy whisked me to the backyard. They didn’t have a pool but a very nice patio. Her mother was sitting there with a neighbor lady.
After introductions the neighbor excused herself. It didn’t take rocket science to figure out she was the mother of one of the blonde girls. Oh well, not my fight.
Nothing was said about it so I left it alone, maybe I was wrong. Nancy’s Mom left us alone but was working in the kitchen so she could keep an eye on us. That left us nothing to do but talk.
I had a good time talking to her. I made sure that she had to talk as much as me. She had a hundred questions about the life of a star. I had a hundred questions about real life.
I found out that Nancy had a good sense of humor. At one point she had me convinced that Pepsi Cola was invented by two Spanish gentlemen and that the name meant Pep Si!
We talked and laughed our way through several hours. When it was close to four-thirty I said my goodbyes and asked if I could see her again. We made a date to go out for ice cream next week. She would bring her little sister. I would bring Eddie who was her age. That would take care of the not alone in a car rule.
I would probably have to pay Eddie.
I took my brothers surfing on Sunday. We had a good time. On our way, we checked out the construction on the Beach House. It seemed to take forever but we could see real progress had been made. At the rate it was going I would spend all my time in England and never get to use it.
At the beach it was a blustery day even in the water, so we didn’t stay long. Katin’s was crowded as the beach crowd looked for shelter so left after a few quick hellos. To stave off starvation on the way home we made an In and Out stop. That was my weekend.
The following week was more of the same. I really made progress on unarmed combat. Brushing up on my other skills was a good idea. It is amazing how fast one can lose one’s edge. This is not a sword joke.
The highlight of the week was ice cream with Nancy and her little sister. It was really cute watching Eddie and Cindy together. When I did something for Nancy like open the car door, Eddie would do it for Cindy. It put Nancy and me on our best behavior as we were in the position of setting examples.
After a while, we forgot about it and had a good time. We drove around the girl’s neighborhood with the top down so all of their friends could get a good look. I think Cindy was the big winner there as she saw and waved at half a dozen different girls. She would be the talk of her school tomorrow. Eddie was a good sport about it all. For the record, I didn’t have to pay him.
I asked Eddie what he thought of Cindy on the way home. He told me she was okay for a girl.
Sunday night was spent making certain I was ready for tomorrow’s flight to the Orient. Our first stop would be Japan. I had done some research so I knew I would be meeting with Prime Minister Nobusuke Kichi.
Chapter 11
Our chartered flight was leaving on Monday morning from Ontario. It was so much easier to use than LAX. Dad and I took a limo to Ontario and all seemed to be in order. At least it appeared that everyone was there. The cameraman from Warner Brothers was taking pictures everywhere.
A problem arose early on. A gentleman who identified himself as being from the State Department told me there was a seating problem. They had decided to bring another aid and now they didn’t have a first-class seat for them.
I asked why they had to be in first class. He looked at me like I had two heads.
“Well, it is only proper that this important trade mission shows us the respect we deserve. Besides we have to be upfront to give you advice on how to behave on the trip.”
Sometimes the devil makes you do things. I walked the gentleman over to our check-in counter and had another first-class seat assigned to his pa
rty. He thanked me in a way that made it clear it was their due.
What he didn’t know was that I had given them my seat. I now would be sitting in coach. This was not the hardship it would appear. Since the flight would not strain the 707 capabilities they had removed every other row of seats so there would be an enormous amount of legroom.
The center seat in each aisle was built so that the back was split. The front half of the back would lower onto the seat making a nice armrest on the side with the center being a flat surface for trays and other stuff. If worse came to worse there was enough room between the seat rows that one could lay on the floor.
So I had a nice seat and didn’t have to listen to the State Department the whole trip. Another plus was that I was sitting with the production crew who I certainly had more in common with than the political types.
It was a long flight. My definition of a long flight is when your body starts to eliminate the first meal of the flight. It was a very long flight. We refueled in Hawaii and Midway Islands.
We were allowed off the plane at both stops to stretch our legs but it was only a couple of hours at each location. I wondered if I could tell people I had been to Hawaii which was true, even though I had never left the airport.
The State Department people deigned to come to the back of the plane to talk to me. They actually had good advice on what not to do and how to do certain things.
Who was to know that when exchanging business cards in most Oriental countries you did it with both hands? You extended the card holding it between forefinger and thumb of each hand. You never ever took the card and put it directly in your shirt pocket. If at a table you set the card in front of you. This was handy as you positioned the cards to face each person at the table. This helped when you forgot their name.
Standing you held it the entire time. The card was considered to be an extension of the person and was to be treated as such.
Popeye explained to me why you didn’t eat with your left hand. We won’t go into that. Poor Mary was left-handed she would have a terrible time here or change their cultural traditions. I wouldn’t bet on either outcome.