Accompanied by Frank Willis I was at the Savannah Theater early. Everything was setup. I worked the early arrival line signing autographs as I went. When I got to the back of the line I move to the photography set up. We had it down to a routine. I don’t know what Charity we were working with.
Mayor Mingledorff, a really nice guy showed up for the obligatory picture for the newspaper. He asked me if I could sneak his teenage daughter and two friends in early as he couldn’t get them moving this morning. Not being stupid I escorted them in a side door. This inadvertently gave them an introduction to my surprise guests.
Even Dad was amazed that the Beach Boys would be playing for the crowd and that Paul Anka along with Annette would appear. The one that impressed those most was Jerry Lee Lewis. He was a hero in the South.
When we did the opening I thought it poignant that Paul and Annette did a duet of, ‘Puppy Love.’ The Beach Boys had them dancing in the aisles before the kickoff.
When I asked Sharon what this was costing she told me I didn’t want to know. Annette had to leave after the first showing of the movie, but the others stuck around for the second show. We could have done a third as there were so many people outside.
The hit of the performance was Jerry Lee when he and his band played Dixie. From what I had heard and seen in Savannah I was glad I hadn’t worn my Ohio Volunteer Infantry uniform.
Of course, there was a fiddle player so I had to sing my song. I think I sang it the best I ever did that night.
When the movie itself played the audience had their part down well, cheer’s for Lew Wetzel (me), boos for Death Wind, (also me), and Awes for Mary. I will never tell her but her, Oohs and Awes were louder than my cheer’s. Maybe it’s a southern thing.
From the early bookings of the movie, we had a financial winner. The critics were being kind. This was almost unheard of. They hated anything that made a profit. They talked about me showing the real America. I guess I got whatever credit or discredit was given because I had come up with the theme of the movie.
I just hoped the Shawnee didn’t scalp me when I stopped by at their request. Maybe they would settle for me running a gauntlet.
I was dead beat when I returned to the hotel. As I was falling asleep I wondered what Sharon would come up with next for the Rick Jackson Circus.
Chapter 11
I arrived at Baltimore’s Friendship Airport around one in the afternoon. Sharon insisted on my flying to that airport instead of Washington National. Something was up.
Well something was up was right, but I don’t think it had anything to do with Sharon. I was met at the airport by a US Deputy Marshal, two FBI agents, and two Secret Service agents. They all approached me as I entered the general aviation terminal.
Each of the three groups told me they had been ordered to pick me up and escort me during my stay in Washington.
The Deputy was there to provide me a car and then accompany me the day of the movie showing. This was a paid overtime job for him. The studio would be picking up the tab.
The FBI told me that their superiors had heard I was going to be in town and were ordered to watch out for me because of my background with the KGB.
The Secret Service had shown up because I was listed as being a high profile person with the White House. Not only that, but I also had a meeting with the President later today.
This was all news to me. Each group heard what the others had to say. The only one that seemed at ease was the Marshal; after all, he was getting paid overtime.
We finally settled on me riding with the Marshal. The Secret Service would lead the way to the White House and the FBI would ride drag. When I used that term the agents looked puzzled. When I explained it was those last in line on a cattle drive and would eat dust all day, they both chuckled.
“Sounds like any other day then.”
I must say considering there were three different government agencies there I didn’t feel like I was in the middle of a turf war.
We sorted ourselves out and took the B-W Parkway to US 50. When we arrived at the railyard across from the Hecht's store I saw Sharon’s surprise, or what I thought her surprise would be.
Sitting there was the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus train, all fifty-plus cars of it. There was no doubt in my mind that The Ricky Jackson Circus would arrive on an elephant back.
I would have to talk to Sharon tonight. We were both staying at the Willard House. It now was my regular place to stay while in Washington. It was an easy walk to the White House from there.
Of course, I wasn’t allowed to walk. Our cavalcade drove up to a set of White House gates. We drove right on in; well, the Secret Service stopped and cleared my car. The FBI was halted and not let in. They didn’t have prior clearance.
It warmed my heart to see that agency rivalry was alive and well. Those Secret Service Agents must have been chuckling about it the whole trip in. That was funny but I now would be stuck with a couple
