Cover St. Augustine AU REVOIR MONSIER DENNY! 2 Message from the Chief Conductor Manager of Old Town Trolley Tours of 4 From the Corner Office Washington but when the opportunity 5 Famous Faces arose he moved to St. Augustine to be the 6 Someone’s in the Kitchen With... first GM of our fair city. He served as the 7 Vendor Spotlight General Manager of Old Town Trolley 7, 17, 25 If You Only Knew... Tours of St. Augustine, Old Jail and the St. 8 Washington, D.C. Augustine History Museum for the last eight years with a small hiatus for a year as the 9 CAST Anniversaries interim GM in Savannah. He is close to me 10 Key West personally and we shared many triumphs 12 Savannah and failures together but even in the failures 14 Boston we always had fun. He truly turned work- 15 Key West Aqarium days into play days. He is also one of the few unshakable people I have met and 16 Tropical Shell and Gift even when the sky seemed to be falling 16 Conch Tour Train enny Axlen, a good friend Denny was always cool as a cucumber 17 CASTmembers of the Month and longtime colleague which is a good quality to have when a pop 18 San Diego retired from Historic Tours up charter or code red occurs. 21 Welcome Aboard of America, Inc. at the end I have to say that the CAST and commu- 22 Puzzles, Games, and Trivia D of August after serving from nity of St. Augustine threw one heck of a 1997 – 2009 as the GM of three different going away party “Old Jail Style” for 23 Pet of the Month HTA cities. He started his career with HTA Denny with an old fashioned southern style 24 Personality Profile in Washington D.C. as the General Cover Story continued on page 3... Denny, Ellen and friends enjoy the festivities. Chris, Stacey, Mel & Dave at Denny’s party. FROM THE CHIEF CONDUCTOR If I Knew Today Was My Last Day on Earth I Would _______? BY: CHRISTOPHER C. BELLAND Chief Executive Officer, Historic Tours of America, Inc. have always been intrigued by the with cancer. A writer whose work I admire proposition of, “If you knew today e-mailed me after my column of July 19th was your last day on earth how (Oh Poor Pitiful Me) to relate a story of how would you live it?” Perhaps an even she, too, was, at the time, in the oncologist’s I more commonly used phrase is the office being treated. I felt small. Another nonsensical advice to, “Live every day like person with whom I used to work and for it's your last.” Honestly, if I woke up one whom I had an extraordinary admiration for morning and was told I had one day left to his skill as a craftsman and perpetually live I’m not really sure what I would do. sunny disposition was grievously injured What I do know is that I would not succumb recently in an accident. While I, of course, to the connotation of such a proposition can only hope with the utmost sincerity that which is to totally indulge oneself. I cannot these three individuals will recover and I imagine a more hollow activity. Besides will have the selfish pleasure of enjoying that, who wants to go out with a really bad their company, hope and good wishes are hangover and some regrets for things that all that I can provide as the outcome for such self-indulgence would involve? Rather, them is in the hands of others and their if I was pressed to answer such a question it maker. I owe them a debt of gratitude for the would be along the lines of communicating good things taken from our relationship for I with those about whom I care. Yet as I even was always glad to see them coming my say such a thing I realize I have that oppor- way. I now must add yet another measure tunity every day. of thanks to them for reminding me, yet I, like probably everyone who's reading again, how fragile our lives are and how our this, have lost someone either expectedly or existence can "turn on a dime". Accidents appreciating the breeze that makes the unexpectedly. I must admit that on both happen. Bad health surprises us. Sometimes leaves shimmer or noticing the extraordinary occasions there were many opportunities we're just in the wrong place at the wrong profusion of the flowers of Key West. I'm not that were missed and now that means forev- time. No truer words have ever been spoken smelling jasmine or even the comforting er. A young man with whom I used to work than, "Yesterday is a memory, today a gift, aroma of fresh brewed coffee at Five out at the gym when I was at the University and tomorrow an unfilled promise.” Brothers. I am cursing the noise of an un- of Pennsylvania and whom I greatly admired The most recent misfortunes of my three muffled moped and not hearing the singing was killed in a fraternity fire. I found out at friends has made me realize how important of birds or even the haunting call of the bells my last high school reunion one of those it is to acknowledge the gift at St. Mary’s. I will be at the office soon people in my high school days who, at of now. enough and, unless I discipline myself to one time, was my best friend and Unfortunately, we better recognize what the moment offers, I about whom I always won- humans and I cer- will be losing things that are only offered dered, died a few years tainly include once in their special moment. ago before we could myself, tend to We live in a continuum of moments with reconnect. My father project the this moment and even life itself as just passed away while I was traveling in things we between a before and after. We have a great Europe. My own mother courageously worry about in tendency, which may be the counterpoint of took her own life after a long and the future into our ability to reason, to fear and anticipate painful illness but it hurt just the the moment mak- far beyond what is rational. With this in same. No matter how prepared you think ing it impossible to mind, I have always said, “Things are never you are (or not), you always regret and fully enjoy. On my as bad or as good as you think they're going lament what you forgot to do or say. way to work, I am mentally to be.” I can be certain of only two things. More recently, a person I have known for organizing an agenda for the day that Tomorrow the sun will rise and some day I many years and who I will call a friend includes meetings, phone calls, challenges will pass on from this life and while today because of the common bond of the friend- and opportunities. In the process I am not may or may not be my last day, I hope I can ship of our children, has been diagnosed seeing the beauty of a unique sunrise, learn to at least appreciate the privilege. 2 the nation’s storyteller® July/August 2009 3 Denny receiving engraved HTA wine glasses with years of employment 1997-2009. Au Revoir Monsier Denny (Cover Story) continued... cookout with over 400 people attending. Denny’s mother and sister, the Mayor and City Council member even make an appearance. The Triple Rock Blues band rocked the night away with tunes like Jail House Rock and the food was outstanding thanks to Aunt Kate’s on the River, The St. Augustine Independent Restaurant Association, and the St. Augustine Winery. A Special thank you goes out to Chef Mark who manned the grill with Jay and looked liked he lost 5 pounds in water weight by the end of the night. True to Denny’s nature he worked as hard as any of the staff keep- Triple Rock Blues Band Chef Mark at the Grill. ing his guests happy; from shaking hands to • In the absence of any clear communication, lugging a keg of beer even though we told you are expected to do the right thing. him to relax and enjoy the evening. • I don’t want to answer that at the inquisition. Chris Belland and Ed Swift III were in • Red wine with lunch every day. attendance and really had a good time from • You can’t make this stuff up. what I observed. At the end of the night • Ain’t no way, Ain’t no how. both Chris and Ed gave eloquent speeches • Ya pays yur money - ya takes yur chances. and thank you hugs that brought some to tears but the St. Augustine Leadagers and In Speaking about Denny with the CAST CAST stole the show by presenting Denny now and through the years there was with engraved beer mugs and wine glasses always one common theme and that was with all of his sayings or “Dennyisms” as that Denny was a nice guy. Even when he Ed Swift saying his goodbyes to Denny. we like to call them. had to reprimand someone or break some bad news you always walked away with a friends here at the Trolley when back in Here are the “Dennyisms”: sense that he genuinely cared about you town.