It was Thursday afternoon, and I was making my last rounds on the show floor.  I remembered I wanted to go by the J&B booth and see the new guy there, Will.  Will was new to them but not to anyone in the industry and worked with Schwinn in the last 42 years.  I went in the booth and asked for the oldest rep that they had, not the one who worked the longest......the oldest, A tall, silver haired guy raised his hand and with a smile and said that would be me.  As he walked over, he recognised me and we just laughed.  He congratulated me on the new store (haven't seen him in a while) and talked about his new adventures.  In 5 months he became the #1 salesman in the company, old school!  no computer, olld school.  We were talking and another rep who didn't know Will and listened and was amazed. The other rep asked so seriously,"Was Schwinn's move into K-Mart that big of a deal?"  We really laughed.  After we explained it, I asked "how can you not understand it?", he said, " I was 13".  Now we really laughed.  YIKES!!

That made me think about my first visit to BDS (Bicycle Dealer Showcase), back in 1984.  We left pretty early, and piled in Guys Old's station wagon and drove to NY City.  There we followed Guy, and he introduced us to everyone he knew.  It was a lot of people.  Every isle, and every booth we went into, there was someone else he knew.  As I walked the isles in Vegas, there was an industry type that I knew or an owner I have met over the last 20 years.  Everyone glad see I was doing well here at Bike King, or had heard I left BB and was wondering how I was making it.  Execs, National Sales Managers, company guys, but they were all around my age, equals if you will.  As I talked to Will, I had a crazy thought, that I have become Guy, and the sales rep who was 13 when Schwinn tanked, and I have changed places.  I am one of the old guys...............soon LOL.  Will it was great to see and talk again, and Guy if you read this, Stop in......and thanks again.