Charlie Thompson, A Walk Down Memory Lane, 11/9/13

On Saturday 11/9/13, after watching some of my 5 year old grandson Gannon's soccer game and walking the surrounding Torrance neighborhood with my 8 year old grandson Brody, I was walking back to my car when I happened upon an 88 year old man, Charlie Thompson who was slowly and carefully sweeping up the leaves in front of his immaculate yard.

Charlie was a bit stoop shouldered but still 6 feet tall and trim and with a head of thick gray hair but he explained that at 88 he tires easily.

He said he bought that house new in 1956 and the year of his Oldsmobile, which he also bought new, he couldn't be certain but thought it was a 1987.

He stated strongly that with cars he always buys "American" and that that Olds had been to Minnesota and back many times for Minnesota was where he was from before moving to California.

In driving to Minnesota (about 1500 miles) he never went exactly the same way twice for he wanted to see as much of the country as he could.

Charlie said that when he bought the house, he worked for Douglas Aircraft in El Segundo in I think material management. My guess is that like many an aerospace employee of that era, he spent his career working in aerospace.

He and I were enjoying our conversation, however it was time for me to leave.

But I've been thinking nostalgically of our conversation since. Shortly after Anne and I were married in 1965, when I was 20 and she was 19, I worked at Douglas Aircraft, but in Santa Monica. Anne's dad worked for Douglas Aircraft as well.

At Douglas, all around me were World War 2 circa people like Charlie, and Charlie would have been 40 years old at that time. In my mind I could picture him as tall and trim, with dark hair and with much of his professional career in front of him. My guess is he worked for another 25 years.

Later in my career I founded and headed what became a very large computer leasing company and one of our biggest clients was aerospace giant TRW, and I recall working with so many of their people.

Those people are long retired and many of them have passed away, particularly those of World War 2 circa. But in my heart they continue to live and they look as they did so many years ago.

Speaking with Charlie was a nostalgic walk down memory lane and one I'm thankful to have taken. Perhaps he and I will meet again and continue our conversation.

Dick