Mitch Morgan Back in the days of Vaudeville, there were a number of unsung talents who played the circuit, year after year. There was no radio, TV or internet. Like circus performers, these people went where they were allowed...and where they could make a buck. As time went by, their talents failed, the audiences grew slimmer and these denisons of light saw their own lives falling to dusk. Enter 'Bernie 'the only name we knew him by when he stepped into the door of our Hartford Laundromat in 1966. " Here! Listen to this he shouted, ..as he pantomimed a song from a thirties musical with his hat and the rubber bottom of a plunger for a 'mute.' . He could have held an auditorium of skeptics at bay for hours with his songs and stories. Instead..here he was was performing at a Laundromat in Hartford Wi population: 5:0400 in 1966.... two two teenage. boys: My brotyher Larry &me. Well, time moved on but Bernie did not, ending up in the Hartford Rest Home of its. day. Several years later, Larry and I learned of his wherabouts and went to see him. "Hey boys! "listen to this".. as he performed yet another song for us with only his voice, hat and plunger as he danced about the room still wearing a a horrid sporty coat. "What do you think of THAT"? he asked with all of his 95 year old charm. "Awesome" was the only words we could think of. God Bless, you Bernie. And teak you. Like · · Share · Promote · a few seconds ago · Mitch Morgan And "Thank you!"

HOW NOT TO DATE A MUSLIM GIRL: How Not To Date a Muslim Girl: When I was in High School we had this thing called the "Sweetheart Dance." Those of you who followed after us called it "The Sadie Hawkins Dance" ....Anyway this was where the girls asked a boy out: A total abnormality back then. I said YES wanting to go.but ...'not with THIS girl'.. Fearing total rejection, I said yes..! Well. back then.. it was a sport coat and a corsage and the whole deal. Dressed to kill (or at least to date)...I picked her up at her parents house in my new 1969 Dodge. The fact that I had a new car and no athletic ability, pissed off the jocks to this day, no lie. On the way, trying to make conversation, I said, "so what religion are you?" ... "Muslim" she said." "Oh, ...Is that like Catholic..I muttered watching the Mustang cutting me off at the left. As she cast her glance to the right. and for sure away from me... Ooops. I had a chance to worsen the situation by dancing with the girl I really wanted to be with...breaking the time-honored rule ...(you gotta dance with the one who brung ya). Smiling a smile that could kill men at first glance..she allowed me to take her home after what I thought what was really cool night. Walking her to the door, expecting at least a goodnight kiss, instead I got a door slammed in my face...with the girl still smiling at me...thinking I sure was smart by leaving that old hot rod running: Moral of the story: leave religion out of dating...and pretend you know no other girl than the one you're dating. True situation...And a great life lesson.

Thirty Below : No Problem: Growing up in the 1960's in a cold weather environment, it was tough to keep cars running when it twas -30 degrees. Not having a garage but mom & dad & 4 teenage boys, we parked those behemoths in the back yard. Only way to know you would get started in the morning was installing a "Head Bolt Heater" Which meant a heating element would be installed into your car's engine... I remember a really cold January in 1965 when I saw 5 Electric cords running back to the house as the temps plummeted below zero. Of course we had diesel vehicles too which had to run all night...because diesel fuel gels in cold weather. One year my brother Bob thought he could defeat the cold by shining a 200 watt lamp on the battery of his '53 Mercury. Well the morning came and every car ran except Bob's '53 Merc...because of a MELTED battery. We never let him forget about that...and he still bristles every Christmas...when we re-live the memory. P.S. I wish we had that '53 Flathead car now. Truly a timeless classic. But you never know you are driving a collectible car as you are using it.

After my parents retired, they built a new home on 10 acres in Germantown, WI. One snowy Sunday afternoon, I paid them a surprise visit. December 22nd, right before Christmas. Opening the back door I heard: "You put on the damn lights, Gladys, I've been doing this the last 60 years!." "Oh, Lawrence, I get SO disappointed in you sometimes.".... "Hello I quietly mumbled"....pause...silence....more silence....... "Whose there?....."Oh son come in (my Dad)"....Your mom and I were just putting up the tree!. Well it turned out my Dad had a bad cold and was not feeling well. But my presence cast a new light of hope on the day as I helped them finish decorating that Christmas Tree. This was a monumental event in my life as my father got sick and died before I had another chance to see both my parents at Christmas.

As a high school student I was active in band and orchestra, as a bass horn player in the band, and bass fiddle player in the orchestra. Because I was first chair, I was also in charge of maintaining the brass instruments. That meant a weekly trip to Melkowitz Music. This is 1967 and historically correct... I had just dropped off two cornets and a tuba on South KK. when Melvin the owner came gasping out of the back room holding his throat as blood dripped through his fingers and gasped, "Jimmy Hendricks is playing Summerfest tonight, but that ass of a road manager done cold-cocked me and drew blood". Well ,I was only 17 and had no juice with the local law other than running my Roadrunner against the West Allis Cop Shop during prom night of 1966. "Who would want to hurt YOU" I choked, as the answer hit my brain like a ton of fried lard at the Wisconsin State fair. (Could it be a convicted ex-felon band director hot on Melvin's daughter?)...TO BE CONTINUED)...see more at www.mitchmorgan.com

Mitch Morgan I wish you could all go back in time and join me in the late '50's & early '60's listening to AM Radio on the speakers of the cars from that era. The sound coming out of those old radios was not describable by today's measure: Imagine yourself going fishing out to Okauchee Lake after a 4am breakfast of eggs with your older brother in a 1956 Chrysler Imperial with a HEMI engine.Hitting the overdrive while our reverb-added radio blasted the sounds of Chuck Berry, Elvis & The Stones. I still can't believe I have the memory of something that feels like it was yesterday, yet was over 40 years ago. Thank God & Family for those incredible times.

Mitch Morgan 11 minutes ago My favorite (career-related) Christmas memory is as follows: In 1978 I was a jock on RKO's 99X In New York. The station spent a fortune on getting a float in the iconic Macy's Thanksgiving Parade in a multi-year deal. As a young kid from the Midwest who was still blown away that I was actually on the air in the Big Apple, and now would be on a float with...yes..."The Village People" in a world-wide broadcast, it was beyond belief! I showed up as instructed at 7 AM at 78th & Central Park West. I showed officials my badge and then was directed to the "Celebrity Bus." Well, they must have the wrong guy, I thought , as I approached the VIP area. Nope. "Come in son" a grandfatherly security guy said as I hoped on the bus. "Listen to you guys all the time.! I still remember in slow motion time and in recurring dreams the following: As I walked down the isle, the first person I saw was Burl Ives who would be on a float and sing "Holly Jolly Christmas". "oh boy", I thought. They are about to kick me the hell out of here ANY MINUTE!!" Then as if I was on Fantasy Island itself....there was Ricardo Montalban & Tattoo suited up and resting comfortably. In a quick self-realization that I belonged "in the back of the bus"...I continued down the isle. To my right was Goldie Hahn. To my left was Artie Johnson and Ruth Buzzy. A few rows down were (I swear to God (LAVERNE & SHIRLEY!) Like · · Promote · Share Greg Jarrett, Bob Cercone, Justin Earl Cleveland and 5 others like this. Mitch Morgan But wait! There's MORE! At the after party at Macy's I did a shot with THE INDIAN of the Village People... You see, he was on the outs with the rest of the band for showing up late. 8 minutes ago · Like · 2 Mitch Morgan At that point, I climbed back into my Volkswagen and drove back to New Jersey where my wife, visiting brother & girlfriend where waiting. Calling home to my parents house in Germantown, I said hello to everyone, and finally my brother Bob who put the whole thing in perspective: "Happy Thansgiving, Bob.!" Resonse: :Man you sure look fat...." True story. 4 minutes ago · Like · 1 Bob Bateman I'm lovin' this, Mitch. (But...you've never looked fat). 3 minutes ago · Like