They are ganging up on me as I sit here each week trying to bring something to this column that will capture your attention. I keep trying to find a way to start what I hope will, if not entertain, at least peak your interest. I don’t know how much longer I will be doing this. I think the only reason I am still here is because our esteemed Editor takes a look at my scribbling and waits until later to take his lunch break so as to enjoy his meal.
I think that this week I will entertain you with a story of the time I was a TV star on Channel 35 up in Salinas. I was working in King City at the time and driving back and forth in my true love’s “Great Little Car.” She had bought this car after a car crash had ruined her Mazda 626, and transportation was very much needed. Sure I had my truck back then, but as usual it had to be counted out because I wasn’t making enough money to buy gas for a Ford V8 engine that burned gas like a mad Russian. Or do Russians drive cars that get great mileage? Who knows?
The Great Little Car had been advertised as a GLC but most folks weren’t fooled, Lorraine had bought this car because she could afford it and it got great gas mileage. Because it was nothing like you would call “A Great Little Car.” It did, however, get me back and forth to King City where I tried to make Bill Crinklaw a millionaire. At the time, we were selling his Elephant garlic that he grew on a family farm.
I personally could have written my column this week about his travails of growing the product here in California and sending it to Mexico to be wrapped, boxed and sent to Costco’s Warehouse. I could write an entire book about those days except they would be just too sad to contemplate. You see, this was when the growers in the United States were raising Cain about the items grown in Mexico and shipped up to the U.S. to be sold. Nothing against either of these folks because a lot of money was being sent south to make sure the products being imported were as good as those grown here.
There was so much Cain being raised that one of our largest shipments of his product used five 48-foot-long trucks that were stopped at the border because the loads were of a product that the inspectors were not familiar with. This hadn’t happened before, but the shipments had never been that large. Since I was his sales manager, he asked me to get it squared away.
Things were finally straightened out, but so many products had spoiled that it was pretty much the beginning of the troubles for Bill’s company. We continued until I finally had to leave and move on. I will always remember Bill as a straight up guy. He taught me a lot and helped me to buy the house I’m living in today.
The drive from Salinas was getting to me and the GLC was so under powered that there were many days I couldn’t drive faster than 55 mph. One day as I was driving back to Salinas, I started thinking about what I could do. I wasn’t sure produce of any kind was what I really wanted.
Then I saw a woman on TV showing folks how to pick out vegetables in the supermarket. I didn’t agree with a couple things she had said, so I started thinking about how I could use the information I had culled while a produce broker. Lorraine’s cousin, Kelly, was living with us at the time and was working for TV Channel 35 in Salinas. I sat Kelly down and told him of my idea to make a TV spot showing people how the produce was planted, harvested and how to select the best produce to bring home. Kelly was not a personality on TV, he was in production.
Kelly thought it might work as they were a new TV station and looking for content. He made an appointment with the manager. I showed up dressed with cowboy boots and faded jeans. The manager called me in and I went through what I thought might work. I even had a potential customer as Lucky Stores were new to Salinas.
The manager gave Kelly the OK to make some tapes and a camera guy to make sure they were in focus. At the time, farmers weren’t always receptive to the idea of someone walking in their fields. They were and still are concerned about contamination. But I had a good relationship with many so we were on our way.
The three of us had a great time making tapes of the vegetables being harvested. We showed great shots of the fields and coolers. We showed all kinds of new product and made tapes of me telling the housewife how to prepare and cook the vegetables for maximum taste. We showed how fast the vegetables were harvested and cooled down. Just between you and me, it was a blast. Kelly was a master at setting up the shots and the camera man made sure everything was in focus, and frankly I enjoyed the entire process.
In total, we made eight complete spots from field to store to the new Lucky Stores. They had just finished completing their vegetables section and the product was dazzling. The TV station sold all the spots and I got paid quickly. The spots were called “Produce by George,” I might even have a couple that haven’t been destroyed by time. My kids saw them so I could tell them that they can do anything they set their mind to. No, I didn’t make a lot of money, but I showed myself that I could try something new. As always, I never forget that I did all this with my wife by my side.
God Bless.
