We were in the process of moving to the USA. I had identified a potential house for us to rent on a previous trip and I had been given time off work to show my family and generally prepare for our big move. We had flown across The Atlantic courtesy of TWA business class. Unlike today Jo, who was probably 5 years of age, was given an apron and she helped serve lunch alongside the cabin crew. She still has a menu signed by the crew to prove it. I, of course, ended up on the flight deck chatting to the Captain. I told him what I was doing and I asked him where he would suggest I take my family for a few days rest and relaxation. He told me West Palm Beach and he gave me details of the best hotels and all the places to go. Result!
Liz loved the house I had found. It was in ‘Back Greenwich’ Lake Avenue and was set in 3 acres of land. We did a bit of looking around and then booked a flight to West Palm Beach. Now Florida is Florida and we were, I think, a bit overawed by it. I rented a huge white convertible Cadillac for a laugh. We drove to the recommended hotel and found ourselves, somewhat jet lagged, overlooking the beach and the ocean. A day or so later and the news programmes became filled with dire warnings. The windows of the hotel were boarded up and we were instructed to hunker down as a hurricane was coming! In it came with all its fury pounding the beach and our hotel. It was terrifying to start with but when the eye of the storm passed we were able to go out and watch huge waves, and all sorts of exciting stuff. The only down side was the car roof leaked! It was quite an experience.
My second Hurricane was in the Dominican Republic. We had gone to one of our favourite family destination(s) a Club Med. I won’t waste time here but for those who know probably the best family holiday going! In came the hurricane. Windows boarded confined to discreet areas but because the resort was concrete built it was all relatively safe.
My third Hurricane was in Connecticut and New York. It was in the mid 80s and for about a week the media had hyped the thing to ludicrous proportion. The whole of New York City was boarded up and people were ordered to stay in doors. Now I remember this storm for different reasons. One of my colleagues, now Sir hector Sants god help us, had been head hunted by Goldman Sachs. He was very highly though of and the senior partner no less set off on Concorde to try and persuade Hector to stay with the firm. Brice Cottrill arrived in the office with tales of a bumpy landing courtesy of the winds, now really beginning to blow, and proceeded to talk Hector into a new deal I assume involving a lot of dosh.
For some reason I decided to play my hand and I asked Bryce for a chat. Now Bryce I said I know you want to keep Hector but I also hope you want to keep me and I fully expect that if you decide to reward my colleague for staying you might consider me too. Bryce did not hesitate and awarded me a $200,000 bonus on the spot. ( I might have done better I later reflected). Arriving home later that day via a largely empty train I found Riverside, where we lived, in some disarray. Trees were down there was local flooding and the like. Thank good ness our home was untouched but Liz , who had had a very worrying day, could not understand the grin on my face. When I told her she laughed and ever since that day we have managed to smile at the very mention of a hurricane.
Tales of a Life Well Lived 