General Discussion
Showing Original Post only (View all)26 years ago, I was driving around Cleveland with a car full of Balloons... [View all]
I wanted to get into show business and I thought it might be fun to deliver singing telegrams.
I ended up delivering Balloon-a-grams, singing as well, for about six months before I decided that maybe I should try for a band instead.
Not to say that I didn't have a lot of fun because I did, but it was also a bit of a hassle as I took a job with a smaller local company than signing on to Eastern Onion Telegrams which was a national chain.
I think if I had taken the Onion instead of the Balloons to You, I would have probably be acting and singing in local musical theater.
I was so turned off by it that I went into the bar band thing.
I once made a promise to myself that I would make money doing the things I loved; performing, writing and politics.
Needless to say, the politics was the money maker. I still make some money doing work for various candidates but those days are gone. I also supported myself for a while writing and editing a local Independent newspaper. That was a lot of fun and I had the most leeway with that.
And as far as performing, well, I made a good bit of cash running around in a white tuxedo. But I also made a good chunk of change playing out in bar bands.
Anyway, that one and only VD that I delivered Balloon-a-grams was eventful. I think I did about fifteen deliveries over the course o the day. One to an inner high city school and the other to a suburban high school.
Guess which one treated me like I was from outer space.
I also delivered a balloon-a-gram to a construction site where the Forman's wife had ordered a "risqué" delivery.
They were pretty disappointed when I showed.
I ended up the night at a rundown strip joint. It was a young womans first "legal" day on stage and i got to go up and bump and grind a little before I tied the balloons around her...
I'll leave that to your imagination.
Now I am on disability and still write occasionally for publication. Like I said, I also still keep my finger in the political pool. But performing, Well those days are probably over. Although I may get out to an open mic now and then.
One thing I know, realizing those dreams have made me feel kind of special. I'm not rich; don't have much money when you come right down to it. It just means that dreams can be realized even if they don't happen to plan.
Happy Valentine s Day and if you ever get singing telegram, give them some slack. They are the grunts of the entertainment industry.