The day Donald Trump came to Dalton..but wait, there’s more!

Now that Donald Trump is making headlines with some of his comments at the GOP Presidential debate, I’ll take you down memory lane, back to October 1991.  A few years earlier, he left his first wife Ivana, and became involved with Marla Maples of Dalton, Georgia.

Marla was a 1981 graduate of Northwest Whitfield High School, where she was homecoming queen.  She soon sought fame in New York City, and boy, did she find it. She met “The Donald,” 17 years her senior, in 1985 in Atlantic City, and depending on what version you believe, the two had some sort of relationship for a few years before Ivana found out.  There was a confrontation on the ski slopes of Aspen, and soon they were on the cover of every tabloid.

By March 1992, Donald and Marla were a very public couple (they would marry in 1993, after the birth of their daughter Tiffany).

Here’s a trip down memory lane from 25 years ago. The man who would become president with his then-girlfriend Marla Maples, at her 10-year high school homecoming at Northwest Whitfield High School:

Here is their wedding picture, taken 21 months later.

And here are the mother-daughter duo of Marla and Tiffany in a recent photo:

Now, moving on to other weighty matters, like food.  While standing in line at Subway, I spotted a new flavor of potato chips.  I haven’t tried them yet, but this is proof that we live in a great country:

Though I have a multitude of faults, I have few, if any food or drink addictions.  Sure, I love peanut butter and chocolate, but I take a break from them now and then.  I’m not addicted to tobacco, alcohol, or caffeine.  I don’t have to start my day with a Hardee’s biscuit (although it may be the secret to a long life, judging from the people I see there).  And, unlike some folks I know, if I buy a bag of Oreos, and put them next to me in the car, I will not empty the bag by the time I get to Ooltewah.

Still, I have one major weakness, which is sure to make my dentist frown.  Or maybe not, if he needs some extra cash.  Do you ever buy a bag of these little fellas?

Yes, they are Smarties, available for about a dollar a bag.  They are tiny sugar bombs, with a sprinkling of artificial flavors and pastel colors.  Each roll of 11 tablets has 25 calories and 6 grams of sugar.  I always buy them with the intention of having a roll now, another roll tomorrow, and so on.  The reality is, I have a roll, and then I say, “just one more.”  This process is repeated, until the whole bag is gone.  It only takes about 15 minutes.  Some Smarties lovers pop a couple of the pills in their mouth, and let ’em dissolve, to savor the flavor.  Not me.  I’m too impatient.  I chew ’em up immediately, to get that sugar-high flavor burst.  Often, I’ll binge on Smarties while I’m writing.  I guess that’s how I churn out Pulitzer-winners like this.  So now you know why they’re called Smarties.

Finally, have you ever heard of the actor Theodore Bikel?  Most people, especially younger folks, have not.  He died a couple of weeks ago at the age of 91.  He was never a huge TV or movie star, but he was a steadily-working performer for a long time.  He was best known for more than two thousand performances as Tevye, the lead character in “Fiddler on the Roof.”  He did “Fiddler” on Broadway, and around the world, more than any other actor.  The part of Tevye is physical and very demanding.  It requires much singing, dancing, and dialogue.  The show-stopping songs include “Tradition” and “If I Were a Rich Man,” and Bikel was excellent, every time.

Theodore Bikel

“Fiddler” came to Chattanooga in January 1995 at the Memorial Auditorium, and it was amazing.  Bikel was a big man, and his powerful presence dominated the stage.  He WAS Tevye.  He was absolutely flawless.  I joined about 4,000 others at the end, giving Bikel a thunderous standing ovation.

A few days later, the local newspaper ran an item about the show, and there was a brief mention of Bikel.  It seems Bikel performed that night, despite being ill.  I had no idea what his illness was, but I thought, “Wow!  He gave that amazing performance, and he wasn’t even feeling well.” I had to track him down, and tell him how much I enjoyed his performance, especially considering that he was ailing.  I found out where the show was then playing  (San Diego), and wrote a letter, showering him with praise for giving us a great show, even while he was sick.

A few days later, I received this note from Mr. Bikel:

Did you see that?  “I never punish an audience for my sins?”  You can draw your own conclusions.  I took that to mean that perhaps Mr. Bikel had partied too much before he came to our city, and had not yet fully recovered.  Or maybe not.  Still, what a kind, personal reply to my fan letter.  I cherish it, and will always fondly remember a big man, with even bigger talent.