Of course you do. Tom and Mel were a couple. Mel always had a great hair-do. Tom had grey hair – which was kinda weird cause I don’t think it was grey when he started working at Wally World. (Wally World or Nightmare on Elm Street - i.e. Walgreens Photo Studio – movies played a big part in our vernacular back in the 80’s)
10:37 p.m. Beth and Mel have "Big 80's Hair"
While a bemused Scott Sehmer looks on.
Turn right at Taco Bell - ya can't miss it.
I remember Tom lived just a few blocks from work on Vera Av. I was at his house once for some reason or another. I ran into Tom a couple of times after he left Walgreens.
I had this Red Toyota GTS with a twin cam engine – sharp little car – and I’m driving down Teutonia. There’s a slick 68’ Camaro up ahead of me. I speed up to get a better look at the Camaro. The other guy speeds up, I speed up more, then he speeds up… now were racing! What the heck – I just wanted to get a better look at his car! There’s no way I can keep up with this guy. My car is fast, his car is serious fast – and then I realize he’s just playing with me. The Camaro slows down a bit and I pull alongside and look over at the driver – there’s Tom smiling back at me. Kinda hard to have a conversation at 95 mph!
The next time I ran into Tom was at Capitol Court. I don’t remember exactly what year it was – sometime between 1988 - 90 I think. We chatted for just a bit. He and Mel are splitsville. He tells me Mel was one of the nicest girls he’s ever met. I know he’s right; Mel was a very nice girl. Tom might not have been the right guy for her. Tom tells me she is dating “some IRS Attorney”.
Mel is short for Melanie.
I remember Mel had a weird phobia – rain. When it rains, worms come up out of the ground. Mel does not want to step on the worms. “That would be so gross!” When it rains, Beth gives Mel a piggy-back ride from her car in the parking lot – into the building.
My brother-in-law is opening his own business.
A decorative hardware store that sells fancy door knobs and artsy-fartsy cabinet hardware to people that are building or remodeling their home or kitchen. (Ok so actually he purchased an existing store... but that's just details and such - not part of the main story.) I put in all kinds of crazy hours whenever I can to help him get the business started. This is back in 2004 - 05. I build him a website, and set-up his computer based inventory system. I spend some time helping in the store - waiting on customers, takin’ out the trash, cleanin’ the toilets… anything and everything to help build up the business and get him off to a good start. The economy and the housing market killed his business and he’s closing his store this year… And what has that got to do with anything you ask…
I didn’t recognize her at first.
This middle aged woman is in the store to pick up her knob order. “Scott!” “Do you remember me?” “It’s Mel from Walgreens!” She says. My jaw drops. Mel looks exactly the same only slightly more middle aged. We chat for a bit. She tells me she’s married and has two kids. I show her pictures of my two girls. She says she lives in Whitefish Bay....
Just like that stupid song I can't get out of my head...
It is a small world after all... That night when I got home, I checked my Cougar Caller*. Sure enough; Mel’s kids are attending the same school as my girls. Just for fun I Googled Mel’s husbands name. – He’s all over the Internet, an easy find. -What do you know Tom… She married the IRS Attorney guy!!!
*Couger Caller - It's a "Bay" thing.
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