Part 2:  ... FOR THE RECORD...

In yesterday's blog entry, I told how my large collection of vinyl  records was built,  mainly by my membership in the RCA Record Club, Classical Division. I then  told how that collection disappeared.  

Today, I want to tell a similar story that I have told many times, including as a Toastmasters speech.

First, let me tell you about an interesting family. (I will use aliases.)

The Ramos clan was a Portuguese-American family consisting of four members: Manny, an uncle, Jose, a nephew, Roberto, a nephew, and Sally, a young lady with several advanced degrees, and best friend of my future wife, Elaine.

The two nephews were fabulous musicians, who sometimes "subbed" with the Boston Symphony orchestra.  They often rehearsed with other classical musicians in the nude at a house near the shore.

The family was smart about many things, but not about finances.  They were in debt to stores, organizations, and especially landlords.  Therefore, it was amazing to us when we learned that they had moved into a high-priced rental property.

That "property" was situated by itself on a spot resembling the location of the "Flatiron Building" in New York City, and it consisted of a reconstructed Victorian-style mansion.

A beautiful feature of the outside of the house was an enormous wrap-around porch.  Passers by surely remarked: "Rich folks must live there."

Sally invited us to see how they had decorated the insides.  We couldn't believe what we were seeing in the "parlor."  The floor consisted of expensive wood, varnished to a high sheen, and in the middle sat a massive grand piano.  Nothing else was in that beautiful room.  One expected Ginger Rogers to waltz into the room and seat herself on top of the piano, as Oscar Levant played and Fred Astaire danced around the room.

While congratulating the family on their aesthetic sensibility, I casually mentioned my RCA Record Club experience.  The nephews, although being master musicians, had never realized that one could obtain classical records by mail, and  were surprised and eager to join the club.

I was told by the nephews that Portuguese-Americans could legally use either of their ethnic patronymic last names:  Ramos or Mendez. This was to serve them well.

Here is a breakdown of records received while in the club:

For  Jose Ramos - Initial Club Start - 10 records

For Jose Ramos - for recruiting Roberto Ramos - 10 records

For Jose Mendez - Initial Club Start - 10 records

For Jose Mendez - for recruiting Roberto Mendez - 10 records

For Roberto Ramos - Initial Club Start - 10 records

For Roberto Mendez - Initial Club Start - 10 records

For Roberto Mendez - For recruiting  Manny Ramos - 10 records

For Manny Ramos - Initial Club Start - 10 records

For Jose Ramos - For recruiting Manny Mendez - 10 records

For Manny Mendez - Initial Club Start - 10 records

Monthly "picks" for six members x six months - 36 records

I count 136 classical records in six months, half of them not "legal."

Seven months after our house visit, we got a call telling us that we should check the Ramos house.  We arrived to find two things: one was the view through the bay window of a completely empty house; the other was the looks of the front porch.  It had stacks of records that were never taken in by the inhabitants.

We asked the mailman to return them to the sender.  He said that was not possible according to Postal rules, and the records were free for whoever wanted them.

I came up with three conclusions: 

01.  The Ramos family had vacated the premises a while ago.  Perhaps they had just been "House Sitting."

02.  There were many many more records on the porch than the 136 I had calculated.  Perhaps they had thought up some other "scam" to play on the RCA Record Club.

03.   It would be fine for me, who appreciated classical music to help myself to all of these records.  I did offer duplicates to a fellow music lover.  My vinyl record collection is being held in several containers in my garage.  Someday I might find my vinyl record player and enjoy hearing them again.

................................................................ 

a dios

For Manny Mendez - Initial Club Start - 10 records