Anyway I got to wondering what had happened to the people who I worked for. So I did what any sensible person would do I started googling.
You really should be careful when you are looking into the past cause the more I looked around and the more I found the more I wanted. Long story short I ran acroos the thing I didn't really want to see
Jerry Lee Bohlander, 65, of Gibsonton, Fla., and formerly of Milton, Ind., died on Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2008, at Tampa General Hospital. He was born on Oct. 4, 1942, in Batesville, Ind., to Harold and Jeannette Rodgers Bohlander.
Yup my favorite boss ever the little man with the big heart Big Hearted Jerry Bohlander. I was shocked and saddened when I read this and memories came flooding back.
I first met Jerry in 1985 as I was drifting around the country using only my charm and my thumb (hitch hiking) and I saw these carnival trucks at a truck stop. Me "you guys need help" Terry (Jerry's son) "yes we do" Me "OK I need a job" and that started a 2 year friendship.
It turned out that Jerry was rebuilding his route and was just moving all the rides to Washington DC and winging it from there, so we got the rides up there and then set up camp at a local campground with Terry's fithwheel and Jerry's motorhome. Here is where the Big heart comes in. Jerry didn't know me from Adam yet I stayed in his motorhome, we would get up in the morning watch Phil Donahue and drink coffee and just talk for a while before getting started on the day. Even though we wern't working at the time and no money was coming in Jerry made sure we were fed and when the work was dry for 2 weeks he took us to another carnival in the area and got us work in the games so we could make some cash.
When we were in Key West and would go out and enjoy the night life I could count on a knock on my trailer door the next morning and Jerry's smiling face standing there with a glass of ice water for me "come on time to work, those rides won't paint themselves" even though he had been out with us all night he would be the first one up.
So it is with a sad heart and a tear in my eye as I say Good bye Boss I know you are missed, even though I only knew you for a short while you had a greater impact on my life than you will ever know.
1 comment:
i was with goodings and jerry was booked in with us, they needed help so some of goodings people went with jerry for a few months, well that turned into 3 years for me.. Do i know you, it seems we both were there at the same time, i went by Brandi..
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