Happy Birthday Chuck D of Public Enemy



Back in the day (I sound so old), and being the "Jill of all Trades" that I am, I used to cater for WDKX Radio when they brought concerts to town. My daughter had to be around 5 or 6 and the station brought Public Enemy and several other groups to town for a holiday show. I cooked all the food, set up the dining hall as well as all the dressing rooms at the Blue Cross Arena. Everyone had eaten except for Flava Flav (a whole other story) and gone to their dressing rooms. The only person still in the dining area was Chuck D. With just him and me in the room, he struck up a conversation – One that has stuck with me through all these years:


Chuck: Is this your full-time job

Me: No. I work full time for Xerox and do catering on the side

Chuck: Do you have any kids?

Me: Yes. I have one daughter

Chuck: Does she believe in Santa Claus (it was right before Christmas)?

Me: Yes

Chuck: Don’t you dare tell her that a fat white man is coming down her chimney and giving her presents. As hard as you are working, with two jobs, you must tell her that you are Santa

He then stood up, gave me a hug, pulled $200 out of his pocket and gave it to me and wished me a Merry Christmas. He was the only artist I've cooked for that ever gave me a tip!


I will always have a very special place in my heart for him!


Chuck D has made The Dean's List!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

My Memories of Mrs. Gloria Langston

Image
  I’ve known Mrs. Langston since I was 16. That’s when I started working at WDKX Radio as an intern. I didn’t work with her often, but would often type letters for her or do filing. I knew I had to be on point whenever I worked on something for her.   She was my boss then, but it wasn’t until I or year or two before I moved to Phoenix in 2002 that our friendship began.   I would often see her at the station while I worked on several events. I would help her with using the computer, but we never quite mastered text messaging. I helped in staging a property she was selling (yes, she was a realtor) and hired her as my realtor to sell my house prior to me moving to Phoenix. When she came to Phoenix for a National Toastmasters event, I moved into the hotel with her and accompanied her to all the events so she wouldn't be alone. We had such a good time! She loved the mountain views from her balcony.   Once I moved back to Rochester in 2008, we became very close. I attended Toastmas
Read more

Looking For A Hot Tub Salesman

Image
I originally wrote this in 2001 for the Democrat & Chronicle while serving on the Board of Contributors. My daughter was getting ready to start her senior year in high school We all remember that TV commercial a few years ago that showed  the  man riding on a shopping cart down  the  aisles of a office supply store.  He was celebrating  the  fact that his kids were going back to school.  All parents know that  the  closer September gets every year,  the  happier we become.  Summers can be a very stressful time for parents.  Trying to find activities to keep kids busy and safe can be almost impossible at times.  Fact is, school is out, but work goes on.  Every year, I have taken  the  first week of school off as vacation from my job just so I could exhale. Now, do you also remember  the  TV commercial for  the  same office supply company where  the  parents are measuring their child’s room so they can install a hot tub?  I always smiled when I saw that commercial because
Read more

Dear Michael.....I Remember The Time

Image
I wrote this letter to Michael Jackson shortly after he died. Today marks 8 years since he passed away...     Me holding my very first album Dearest Michael, A piece of my heart died last Thursday.  I couldn’t believe it when I heard the news.  How could you be gone?  I haven’t stopped thinking and reminiscing about you since.  I will never forget the times I spent with you. You came into my life the same day I bought the Jackson 5’s first album – which was my first album too – well the first one I ever owned.  “Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 5” never left my record player for months after I got it.  From the first listen to “I Want You Back” and “Who’s Loving You” and how cute you looked on the album cover – I knew you were the one for me.  There are so many times I remember from that day forward….. I Remember The Time ….When the Jackson 5 came to Rochester in the early 70’s.  My sister was allowed to go, but I couldn’t.  I cried for hours into my pillow while
Read more