About Bob...
Bob's Childhood, (In his own words)
March 10, 1933 - Major earthquake in Southern California, mom fell down while pregnant with me.
April 8, 1933 - I was born in a private home in Santa Ana, CA
February 16, 1936 - Little brother John was born, I remember the rain and I could not go with dad.
1936 - My hand was smashed in the car door for a long time (one hour).
September 1938 - Went to kindergarten
September 1939 - Learned to read
1940 - I fell in love with my 2nd grade teacher.
December 7, 1941 - Early morning, we heard on the shortwave radio that Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, we ran and told dad what we had heard. He was extremely serious, "Well, the war has finally come!"
1942 - There were many air raids on the coast of California, with the attendant sirens, search lights, gun fire and the sounds of planes. It was terrible, mom was always in a terror. She scared the hell out of us.
1943 - I was given the nickname "Robert Six" by my teacher. She was convinced that I was the biggest trouble-maker in the class and used to strike me on the back of the hand with the edge of a ruler.
1946 - Dad got our dog "Boots". I feel that I grew up with Boots as my companion. Boot's mom was a black Cocker Spaniel and his dad was a German Shephard. Boots was the smartest dog I ever knew. He brought in the newspaper, firewood, and balls we lost.
1949 - My Mom got me a Christmas present that was at that point my greatest disappointment. Mom gave me a typewriter for Christmas! This was certainly not what I would have even remotely wanted. It hurt even more as I was very aware of our low income status. This blasted contraption must have cost Mom a fortune. She could have gotten me a new mitt, with money to spare. I tried to conceal my disappointment. I took some typing lessons from my older brother, who was majoring in Journalism, and soon I could type 26 words a minute. But baseball and music took over my life completely so I gave the machine to my brother.
A Wonderful Life R. S. Gaylord 4/12/2018
I often look back and think about my wonderful life, now that I am in my eighties. I was always blessed by God, whom I seemed to need often. I always prayed for his help.
As a youngster I spent lots of my open time camping out. I was always hunting or fishing, feeling enormous enjoyments. Those times were spent with my wonderful father, out in the most remote woods sleeping on the ground. No one else camped where we were; very remote parts of the wonderful California Sierra Nevada mountains. It was close to the southern border of the state.
I played baseball in high school. It was a great joy of my early lifetime. I batted .420 so the St. Louis Cardinal’s recruiter asked me to join them. That was a wonderful event for me. It made me almost as happy as did my honors at graduation.
I decided college was far more important, at that time of life. There I studied hard and consequently received scholarships. That one factor allowed me to continue my college education.
When I graduated from UCLA I received some awards for my good grade averages. One of my professors in college left his job there and went to work in El Segundo, California. He asked me to join the new organization, which was established by the U.S. Air force. I enjoyed the decision, as I discovered we were working on America’s new rockets and space systems. I wound up launching the missiles as part of my assignments with the Air Force.
The position with the Air Force presented advanced science assignments which allowed me to travel around the world in the field of advanced science; I had a chance to present my creative technical papers world-wide, fairly often in those days.
I sometimes thought about moving from Southern California. I decided that New Zealand would be my first choice if I ever decided to go elsewhere to live in the world. I really loved New Zealand.
Next I was assigned to Washington DC by my non-profit company wanting to evolve there where we worked for the Air Force. If I developed a new branch of the company there, I was promised I would become a Vice President by building up significant business in WDC. I worked hard contacting all job possibilities for us in the Virginia area. It was fun as our group built up business with many agencies, as we grew in assignments. I next obtained our own secure facilities in Virginia. We often named the new work place after me for reference.
Business was expanded to the goals which were set by the CEO originally. We had lots of people, with work to do, helping me get various government assignments done.
Suddenly, it seemed like “out of nowhere”, I was asked to move back to the El Segundo office. Surprised, I sold my Virginia house and returned to work in El Segundo.
Three Vice Presidents replaced me in WDC. This was a shocking disappointment, to say the least! Next, the CEO forced my retirement from our company in El Segundo! I was embittered by all the lies he had told me about getting promoted when the WDC branch was going strong. He forced my retirement early, for my age, and replaced me with high-ranking officers, all were newly assigned.
Then, many technical companies got in touch with me and I consulted with industry for 2 years: fun jobs with very challenging assignments.
Once I was invited to lunch with a group of business folks. I received a standing applause, which greeted me as I appeared in the café room.
Then, after two years of consulting, I decided I should work tirelessly from home for Celsat Corporation. I made nothing for this effort, but the CEO was a buddy of mine. He published some books.
Then I went to college again. I studied in classes about creative writing. This form of writing was different from the engineering and science papers I had created over the years.
I was, at this time, completely retired. The creative writing teacher asked me to help her form a non-profit group of creative writers. I was elected President of the group.
We named the organization: Plateau Area Writers’ Association, often calling it PAWA. I enjoyed making my own business cards and contributing to the efforts of books we published.
In total I was President of PAWA for 11 years, then, I retired again. Another wonderful event was; as we announced my retirement to the group: I heard applause from the PAWA members. The end game of my life’s joy is being published by PAWA, both in their newspapers and books!
I worked long hours writing stories, it made me feel I really wasn’t retired, it was new job.
Looking back now, it was a totally wonderful life. I thank God for all my blessings.