From the Archives

May 30, 2004

"Hang on to your hopes my friend
That's an easy thing to say
But if your hopes should pass away
Simply pretend
That you can build them again."

Well. it's fess-up time. The jig is up. Fini'. Time to pay the piper. Hasta la vista, baby. It's time to reveal the identity of vietnamcatfish.

Yes, we've had fun with the character. Yes, we've muddled our way through the infantile to express pent-up anger < angst, if you will >
in order to preserve what's left of our sanity.
Yes, it was fun but all things must end or pass, if you will. As Willie once so eloquently waxed onto vinyl, "Turn Out The Lights, The Party's Over." < apollo g's to Dandy Don Meredith >

Even Kitty < not her real name > has given me the green light. "Go for it." she said.

And gopher it, I shall.

I started writing the posts in June of 2001. Cajunballsauvin had turned me on to the yahoo and told me to check it out. Buried in the not so distant past, this closet writer was intrigued at the possibilities. It was luv at first sight.

I had just retired from the PIC at the ripe old age of 64. The company was in the midst of its undoing, and it was time to get out. And on my terms. Me and Adelaide, my wife's real name, had saved a small sum, a nest egg, if you will, and we eventually decided the time was ripe to leave. And leave, we did.

I had been a general manager for PIC and worked in the La. area. I worked with some of the legends. Sandy Fajitas < not his real name > was my mentor, after whom Bronco Billy was patterned. Sandy has always been flattered with the comparison.

Yes, he taught me a lot. How to turn the poke salad garnish into a delightful delicacy to be consumed by the guests; how to continually render the various meat offerings; how to weigh 2.5 ozs. of roast beef while discreetly holding one's thumb on the corner of the scale; the list is endless. And with heartfelt wishes, thank you Sandy Fajitas!

But me and Addie bid the rat race adieu. And are now enjoying the rest of our lives. Fortunately, Addie's hip replacement surgery was successful-poor thing fell the day after we retired. You've got to love the irony.

Portia, aka Catlin, has been helping her mom through the recovery process. Her sibling, Bud, aka Charlie jr., is an accountant with Price-Waterhouse. And the source of my inspiration for the academy awards spoofs. Charlie, er, Bud, is also the pictruandtru character. It is no coincidence that pictru and v.c. disappeared, er, went awol, if you will, at the same time. Bud has quite the imagination. And now we know the true identity of pictru. Sorry pictru, er, Bud.

Ah, memories. voting for Adlai Stevenson in the 50's. Enjoying the brief Camelot of the early 60's. LBJ. McGovern. Nader.The goober economics of the late 70's. Life was grand!

Yes, me and Addie have been blessed-too blessed to be stressed. And we had a fun ride with the PIC. But it's way past my bedtime. So, goodnight, dear PIC friends.

Farewell and adieu, v.c.

P.S. Me and Addie would love to rekindle old relationships. Does anyone know of any retirement groups that would be interested in adding me and Addie. She gets around pretty good in her motorized wheel chair. And isn't a bother or nuisance.