I never regret anything I’ve done in life, although there
are a few things I shake my head at and say, “What was I thinking?” The reason
I have no regrets is that no matter what I’ve done, there seems to have been a
purpose and a lesson behind it. I’m the ultimate optimist and have gone through
life seeing things just that way. How I met the members of the Las Vegas “Old
Timers” Media Group is just such an example of a silver lining from a dark
cloud, or period, in my life.
In 2001 my husband and I had just returned to Las Vegas
after trying to make a go of it in a small, rural western New York village. I
had wanted badly to return to small town life, to live where neighbors actually
made eye contact with you and fresh produce could be purchased from the local
farm down the road. It was a great experience – for the first couple of years.
By the third winter that lasted six months, I was ready, as was my husband, to
head back to the desert.
Luckily, we had the wisdom to rent out our home so we had a
place to move back to. My husband had maintained contact with his former
employer so, another spot of luck, he was rehired. For me, however, I went
months without employment. Through a friend-of-a-friend, the way Las Vegas used
to hire good employees, I received an invitation to interview at Jackie
Gaughan’s downtown casino, The Plaza. First I was offered a position as Food
and Beverage manager. I turned it down as one, I had no experience in that
field and, two, I didn’t want to work in a smoky, old casino. While I thought
I’d have to keep looking I received another offer from the Plaza, “How would
you like to be Convention Manager?”
That position didn’t sound so bad; after all I knew how to
plan and throw a good party. As I had no other offers pending and the pay
wasn’t too bad, I reluctantly took the job. I lasted all of nine months, but
while there I met some amazing people, both employees and clients. Frank
Mitrani and his group were one of my favorites.
The “Old Timers” as they like to call themselves have been
meeting for over a decade. When they came to me at the Plaza, they were looking
for a place to hold their monthly meeting where they could eat and socialize
for a price they could afford. It took a little convincing to my bosses, but I
was able to book the group for the price of meals alone. It was during their
monthly meetings that I came to know Frank and become familiar with the group.
I was drawn to find out more because I was (and still am) a
“wanna-be-writer” and the group name, Las Vegas Media Group, seemed like a good
place to start my future career. I was a little mistaken, however, as the
members were retired from the world of journalism and weren’t in much of a
position to further my career aspirations. But, they were really nice people
who liked to get together and reminisce about Las Vegas history so I always
stuck around to listen.
Frank never intended his quasi-club to be exclusive and
anyone expressing an interest in history was welcome to join them at their
meetings. He promptly placed me on his email list. From then on I received a
monthly reminder about the day, time and place of the meetings.
Sometime in 2002 I left the Plaza, found a few other great
opportunities that led me in the direction of the career I enjoy today – that
of historian, college professor, and writer. While on that path I had little
time to visit my old friends at the Las Vegas Media Group luncheons, but would
make an appearance every now and then.
When, in 2008 I was hired to conduct a research history of
the Spring Mountains, I knew just the place I needed to go. I went to a lunch
meeting, was welcomed like an old lost friend, and received great leads on
little-known stories about the history of Mt. Charleston to make my final report
a rich one. After that re-acquaintance, I have been to almost every meeting
since.
I see in this group of men and women, professional and hobby
historians and long-time Las Vegans, a rich, diverse treasure trove of
knowledge. I realize that so many of their members have passed on. Many of them
are in the winter of their lives and when it is their time to say “So long,”
with them goes their stories, recollections, and memories. It is my goal to
gather and preserve those that remain. Each and every meeting is full of
friends sharing their stories over a good meal and among good company. What
more could a girl ask for?
No, I have no regrets because I am wise enough to know that
every life experience is an opportunity. I know that taking that job that I
didn’t really fit into was just my luck. I was in the right place at the right
time and came away with a lifetime of great friends.
Now that I’m a member, I never really agreed with the group
referring to themselves as “Old Timers” because I didn’t see myself as one. I
suspect that down the road I will feel like I fit right in with that
description – with no regrets whatsoever.
