We All Have A Story

THE FIRST STORY OUT OF 1,117. “Bundle”

We all have hundreds of stories and everyone loves a story so I thought I’d provide one in this vehicle that’s supposed to give you a taste of Rick. I have hundreds of stories about great romances, extraordinary miracles, racing, and business, spiritual, all ranging from such destinations as Santa Fe, New Mexico, South Bend, Indiana, Gary, Indiana to the U.S. and British Virgin Islands. 90 percent are mostly fun, some are sad, lots of them heartfelt, many adventurous and some even crazy. For example how could I possibly be the recipient of a graduate scholarship from the President of the United States out of 6000 candidates from such institutions of higher learning as Harvard, Stanford or Yale, or become the Special-Aide to the Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands Territory and Commissioner of Police to being the Chief-of-Staff to the Director of High Intensity Drug Trafficking in the Caribbean?

Well, of course I can’t share them all. So I thought I’d at least begin at where it all started. I decided I wanted to write a screen-plan about all these stories. The title is BUNDLE. The opening scene would fade to squadrons of B-29 Bombers flying in formation, President Roosevelt, couples dancing to Cab Calloway’s song “Call of the Jitterbug” and a variety of “swing” dances from the “East Coast Swing” to “The Lindy Hop.”

The music comes from the sounds of Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra singing, “Fly Me to the Moon” to Nat King Cole.

It starts out on a cold, blizzardy, wintery, 18 degree, minus 11 with the wind chill, day. I’m in Chicago, Illinois on January 12, 1944 in room 312, Michael-Reese hospital. For the past 45 days my mom tells me I’ve been kicking up a storm to get out. It was time. My dad raced to get my mom to the hospital through much cluttered Central Park streets. I think this is where I probably got hooked on racing cars. I think I actually remember my dad turning sharp from Pulaski Road onto Grand Avenue.

Once we got to the hospital they rushed my mom into the delivery room where Dr. Tom Price would be delivering his first baby. At 4:07 PM I was delivered with not a sound. Dr. Price picked me up by my feet, hung me upside down, they did that then, and whacked me on my bottom.

The room was quiet. My mom and dad watched with anticipation of this little kid so anxious to get into the world. No crying, no fuss, hair slicked back little Rickey launched his adventure, his journey into life with a mischievous smirk on his adorable face and began urinating on Dr. Price. A wide, seamless stream in a very powerful, wide arc.

Dr. Price turns to my mom, dad, grandma and Aunts Sandra and Mary and says nonchalantly, “this one is going to be a bundle.” And the wonderful journey and adventure began.