The Past Can Never Be Left Behind!

In the mid-late 1970s I became the "Living Logo" of the cartoon character "Captain D" for Captain D's Seafood Restaurants headquartered in Nashville, TN. The photograph is a promotional photo of me that I handed out to thousands of kids and their parents. It has been decades since I was "Captain D." But, as the headline of this article says, "the past can never be left behind." I want to share something with you. This comes from Facebook. The first part is from Christina Perry of Geraldine, Alabama. The second part is my FB post.

Wow! As some of my friends know my first job was as hostess at Captain D's way back in 1978. For some reason they chose me ..the most introverted employee they had and paired me with this wonderful man to be his first mate for a series of plays we would perform at area schools. What could have been a disaster because of my shyness is instead a special memory. Mr Noah LeVia brought me out of my shell and had me performing sword fights on stage in front of hundreds of kids. It was truly a turning point for me. I am so blessed to have connected with him on fb. My son Noah ..yes that has always been my favorite name :)... and I were talking about the difference modern advertising had made in the image of Santa Claus from Old World to Coca Cola. Well, for some reason Mr Levia's last name finally came to my memory after 40 years and I found him on fb! I'm just so thrilled ...Merry Christmas to me! Thank you Mr Noah LeVia for your kindness then and now!

(Thank YOU, Tina, for your reach out to me! I posted to her that she, as the saying goes, "pole-axed" me with her post. Next is my FB post.)

40+ years ago I had the singular privilege of being the first person to portray the cartoon character of Captain D for the Captain D's Seafood Restaurants, headquartered in Nashville, TN. I say the first person...after I resigned, Captain D's attempted to replace me in a few parades with people that came nowhere near my "look." That time is a very long story...too long for this post. At any rate, I traveled 28 states promoting the restaurant. I'd go to schools and day care centers and tell sea stories to the kids. Then I'd invite them back to whatever restaurant I'd be appearing in. It was a wildly successful promotion! Kids would come to the restaurant in droves, of course bringing their parents. Whatever restaurant I'd go to in whatever state, I always requested the restaurant "supply me" with a "first mate," a young lady who was a server at the restaurant. She would help me tell my stories and kind of be a "buffer" between me and the kids. The idea was also for her to be a "celebrity" at the restaurant after I was gone. Kids would remember her whenever they and their families would return to the restaurant. Today I received a friend request and have reestablished communication with one of my "first mates" from Albertville, Alabama those many years ago. She doesn't mind if I identify her as Christina Perry, then Tina Mayfield. How amazing, shocking, and wonderful this is to have someone from way back there remember the time she assisted Captain D telling stories and promoting a local restaurant. I can only wonder how many more there are "out there" whose paths I crossed with and how they remember a visit from Captain D. Some may have unpleasant memories. I hope not. To those who do, I wish I could go back and make your memories good. I humbly apologize for any bad memories. Some may have good ones. I hope so. To those who have, I am grateful. I'm very thankful that Tina's memories are good. We never know who we may "touch" or what memories we may leave behind. I thank Christina for contacting me. I'm humbled. I'm amazed. And I thank God for human connections of Good Will that reach across the years.

Folks, this was an amazing re-connection! May you have someone from your past remember you as fondly as Tina remembers me!