My friends, Jack, Al, and I worked after school for a dry goods manufacturer, Henlo Products. Al’s Uncles, Henry and Lou (hence the name Henlo) owned the company. Occasionally we were asked to come in on a Saturday.
At 15 & 16 years old Jack, Al and I thought we had some pretty important jobs. After only 3 months on the job I was promoted to Chief Ball Inspector, inspecting balls, thus the title Chief Ball Inspector. My job was at the end of the ball fringe manufacturing line to make sure that the staples that held the balls onto the fringe were not visible and to assure that we had fluffy balls.
As the ball fringe would pass by my face at a reasonably fast rate I had to be quick with my little comb to cover up the staple and fluff the balls with agility and grace.
I worked hard and was on the fast track at Henlo for a management promotion. After several more months I had mastered handling the balls and it was time to become a JTT, Junior Tassel Trimmer. This was the cool job. Not only did they make tassel fringe but they made individual tassels for strippers as well as tassels for the tails of circus elephants. Our job we to make sure that all the tassels were evenly cut and excess strands eliminated.
The major advantage to this department was that there was a girl from Brooklyn College that tested some of the tassels intended for strippers. Jack, Al, and I tried to convince her to take our virginity. Ahh but to dream.
Anyway… we were asked to work one Saturday morning, which we did. We were trimming tassels on long rods, trimming with huge, long shears the uneven and excess strands. As usual we talked while we worked.
Jack and Al said they would like to go to Dairy Queen after work and get a Sunday. I said I couldn’t go because I didn’t have any money and I had to get a haircut. Al said I didn’t need a hair cut and I told him it was my Mother’s orders because the next day, Sunday at 2PM was going to be a big day in my life.
In addition to all of my other activities, I studied the Double Bass in Jr. High School and High School. I was good enough to audition for the New York City Youth Philharmonic and scored 1st stand, second seat. So I was positioned right at the edge of the stage where everybody would see me. And that Sunday was our first concert performing on the stage of CARNAGIE HALL!
Jack and Al were always a bad influence on me. But I had to stick to my guns and get my haircut when Jack came up with this great idea. HE would cut my hair and then I could use the money to buy ice cream at Dairy Queen. After all, we had so many pairs of these huge shears and were expert at using them.
A blood curdling scream echoed throughout the building. Henry and Lou came running and there was Jack standing there with blood dripping off of his shears. My left ear was gushing blood all over the white and pearl colored tassels that we had just trimmed. Lou finally got the bleeding to stop and bandaged me up with lots of gauze pads held on with white cloth tape.
Sunday afternoon at 2:00PM the members of the New York City Youth Philharmonic walked onto the stage with all the females long black skirts with white blouses and black shoes and all the guys dressed in 3 piece black suits, black shoes, white shirts and black bowties. There I was at my premiere performance at Carnegie Hall. I picked up my double bass and leaned it against my body…. With a huge white bandage on my left ear for the whole world to see.
To add insult to injury, Jack and Al were sitting in the front row by the Double Basses and laughing hysterically and telling people, “see the idiot with the white bandage on his ear…”.