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WOW, those are some pretty interesting stories

Jeff-

When you get to a certain age, all you've got left is stories.

Didn't Springsteen say that in "Glory Days"?

40+ years doing this stuff in the Big Apple. You see and do some really strange stuff.

Remembering it all is the challenge these days.

Sam

Sam, you're probably getting that CRAFT disease.


Can't remember a friggin' thing.


Carl

Well, I will be honest and admit to having used contact paper to make face plates to match the customer's request. Some were just plain ugly, but all that it took was a trip to the grocery store and a razor knife to make it happen. Many happy customers with many ugly phones and many Ben Franklins in my pocket for doing so.

I lived in an apartment that had a gas stove, yet I spray painted housings out on the terrace and brought them inside to dry on the kitchen table. I never used the stove (afraid of it), but it had pilot lights inside. All of those paint fumes and pilot lights....NO, there wasn't an explosion, but something happened to cause a disgusting smell. My apartment smelled like a cross between an auto body shop and kitchen grease. I had to move away after about a month.

I wish you could do these things now, but since nearly every phone is shaped like a football (thanks, Cisco!), all we can say is that "you get what you get".

Craft disease.....What did you say? Now that's a good one!

Hey Ed, I used to have a Bart Simpson phone, so I take offense to that!

I guess "reversible" things like contact paper don't bother me as much... but spray paint, etc... man for some reason I just hate that. I think in general changing things that are really "perfect" to begin with just rubs me the wrong way, and for me, it's not confined to just telephones.

I think I remember reading the guy who designed the 2500 got some sort of recognition for designing one of the most recognizable/functional designs of the 20th century, or something along those lines. Or maybe it was the Trimline model, I don't remember. I see phones out on Ebay that people have turned into lamps, or "customized" them with some god awful combination of colors/textures...makes me cringe and shake my head every time.

I'd love to hear some of those Leona Helmsley stories though!

The Leona stories should really be told over a beer (or three). Too long to write out and the moderator would bleep most of it. (Let's just say she had a mouth like a sewer, and I gave as good as I got)

I've worked for a number of very rich people over the years. Most just treat you like the hired help - which is OK, that's what we are. Some are extremely rude, some beyond rude. But some are absolutely fabulous, unpretentious people.

There was one guy named Coulicundus (Spelling is wrong) who owned all kinds of oil and oil tankers. What an absolute Gentleman.

There was Claude Arpels (from Van Cleef & Arpels)who was very nice and very polite.

I never met Oscar de la Renta, but when I bailed out his office on cutover, he gave me two suits and a sports jacket.

Most of the time you don't meet the principle, just their secretary, but sometimes you do and it's always interesting.

Here's one that I didn't experience first hand, but met the guy who did. I ordinarily wouldn't tell a second hand story, but this is a good one:

I was working construction at the AOL/Time Warner tower at Columbus Circle and was working with a plumber (I was running in a Building Management System that at one point tied into the hot water heaters for the Mandarin Hotel. The plumber was installing the heaters and my equipment told them when to cycle on and off.)

The plumber said that when Robert DeNiro opened his restaurant "Tribeca Grill" downtown, the construction work included his apartment "above the store". The apartment included a hot tub on the roof. DeNiro was having a party to celebrate the opening of the restaurant and wanted the apartment (and the hot tub!) done at the same time. There was a real question as to whether the hot tub would be ready by Saturday night and DeNiro came to talk to the young plumber who was doing the work. The young man said he'd do his best and DeNiro thanked him.

When the tub was completed Saturday morning, DeNiro had a taxi take the plumber to a nearby hotel to rest up (all on DeNiro) and then arranged to bring him back in time for the party. Not only did the guy get a VERY nice tip, but DeNiro had him at the party and introduced him to all the celebrities as "the guy that got the hot tub running in record time - if you ever need a plumber, call this guy."

The plumber said he didn't get home for two days and has done very, wery well on the recommendations and has never forgotten Deniro's kindness.

What the fellow said that impressed him most of all was that "Bobby" was a regular guy who tried not to let all the status, hype and BS get in the way of living.


And then there's the Marilyn story...

But then there's the Lucille Ball story......

Enough for now.

Sam

Moderator - I apologize. Waaay off subject. Any other blatherings will go in the Phone Booth.

Sam

I'll take the hit for that Sam - I'm the one who asked you to post about Leona. I've got many violations myself in this thread (for which I also apologize).... and I started the thing off to begin with!

Sam -

Roughly how long did it take for your phones to show up?

Thanks -
Matt