Dad worked for Loblaws (later Quality Foods) his whole life. He was a produce and grocery manager for much of that time.
He attended a conference at which William Shatner spoke about his new role as a Loblaws spokesman. At that time, Star Trek (the original series and then still the only one) was in reruns and gaining more popularity than when it had first aired.
I asked my dad if he would be able to get William Shatner's autograph. Dad said Loblaws promised that William Shatner would bring enough autographed pictures for everyone, and he did.
Guess what happened? Someone stole the envelope of autographed pictures from the office at the Loblaws store where Dad worked.
There was no eBay at that time, but there were comic conferences and Star Trek fan clubs and I’m sure the pictures were worth something.
I had built up such an enormous expectation that I still feel a loss today. I’m rather sentimental and keep things like that. Regardless of how you view William Shatner the actor, in my boyhood mind he was a starship captain, and still is.
More than the Price is Right at Loblaws
Loblaws Commercial with William Shatner
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A couple things things my dad used to say…
“Yeah, that’s not going anywhere.” (After tying something down or packing it tightly.)
“Home, Jeeves.” (After he got into the car beside me and I was driving us home. He said this a lot, so I suppose I must have driven home a lot with him beside me; back from church, perhaps, and grocery errands. One of the fondest memories I have of Dad is grocery shopping with him, especially after he retired. Everyone knew him and liked him and would say hello. Many of them reported to him at one time.)
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Dad did a commercial for Loblaws about that time. The company was using real people in its spots and Dad was among them. He said in the commercial he’d been working for the company 20 years and was looking forward to the next 20.
I never actually saw the commercial. Every time it came on, I was in a different room, and by the time I’d run to the TV set, his spot was over.
Remember, there were no VCRs, DVRs or Youtube in those days. If you didn’t watch it when it was broadcast, you didn’t see it.
[2013-09-03]
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