Tim White came along a couple of years or so after I was hired at the Beavercreek Kroger in May of ’89. He was in the ‘next generation’ of the bagger elite. I was hesitant to include him in our ‘ranks’ – that of Jon, Larry, James, and me, mostly due to my own pigheadedness. But I soon learned that Tim was a very nice and funny guy, who in turn enjoyed my sense of humor. He liked the nicknames I came up with for the other employees and customers – and he really appreciated anything that could get Jon riled up. Jon never grew tired of saying how angry he was at “that Tim White!”
When Tim started coming to our parties and get-togethers, he was a bit out of place because he didn’t drink beer – but at my New Year’s party greeting 1992, we found something else for him in which to endulge: apricot brandy, which became his signature beverage for a while. We hung out quite a bit from that point on…playing pool, watching football at Jon’s or my place, watching “Cheers” and “Seinfeld” on Thursday nights, and attending all of the parties that Jon or I would host. He, along with many others, fondly remembers my back porch at Winterset and the Summer nights we spent on it. We even took a vacation together, along with Larry Abbott, to Disney World and Daytona Beach. In the photo of Tim above, he has gotten his moustache caught in a can of Mountain Dew at our Holiday Inn in Kissimmee, Florida.
Once I was transferred away from Beavercreek, I seldom saw Tim, who had begun working in the produce department. It had been around ten years since we had spoken or seen one another. I almost caught up with him when he was working part time at the Fairborn Kroger during my stint in Miamisburg, but we barely missed each other. I had even asked around and tried to get his phone number a few years ago.
Finally, as a result of another one of my ‘reunion’ meetings with Jennifer Young, she was able to contact Tim’s parents and track him down. He was unable to attend one of our first reunions, as he was out of town with his wife Shelly – but on Saturday, May 19, they were both able to make it over for a small get-together at my place that included Jenn and her little boy Jake, Jon Petering, and Carl Lichtenburg.
Tim and his wife Shelly
It was fun seeing Tim and, of course, recalling many of the familiar faces and funny stories from our Kroger bagging days, our parties, and our trip to Florida in 1992. He has a razor sharp memory and reminded me of several things I had forgotten about. He no longer works for Kroger and is working for and living in the city of Xenia. As my theory has been proven time and time again, people just simply do not change (much). He still had a great time getting Jon to fume again for the first time in about ten years as well. I’m sure now that I’ve hooked up with so many old Kroger friends, we’ll be getting together quite often (and we still have a few more to add!) And he does drink beer now. Good for him.
Brad, Tim, Jennifer, Jon
Continue with 2007 and the next reunion…
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