Richard Parker

As for me and my life, it has been wonderful. Blessed beyond words. But I must admit the past 40+ years have flown bye. After high school, 4 years in the Coast Guard the 12 in real estate. In 86 went to Wall St. eventually opening a stock brokerage firm. Grew it to 68 offices across the country, took it public in 98 & sold it in 02. Began writing in 1990s, have written 10 books, working on #11. The most recent about the last graduating class of Dan McCarty Hight titled; Don't Trust Anyone Over 60 - The Life and Times of the Last Eagles. Now I speak/write/consult in the Financial and RV Resort industry. Yes, I know, that is an odd line of work. But I guess that pretty much sums up my life, always taking the road least traveled.

For the past 30 years I have traveled that least traveled road with my wife Joan, a wonderful person. She and I mostly travel via a 40 ft motor coach seeing America at eye-level. We have two grown sons and 3 great grandkids, I actually co-authored a kids book with my oldest, Brittney, “The Tunnel of Time”, making her a published author at 12. She is now 18 and working on her second book (without Pa’s help). Hard to believe that took 40 years.

As a side note: I am the webmaster for our class website, www.DanMcCarty70.com. I have had more fun building that website than anything I've done in quite some time. I have spoken to more classmates since it launched than I have in 40 years and that has truly been great blessing to me. It was so cool to find that our little brothers and sisters had this website and I am thankful you allowed me to be a guest on your site.

Drop me a line and say hello. I'd love to hear from you.

Bobby Harrell caused me to remember the WQAM basketball game. I had all but forgotten about that little stunt that almost got me kicked out of school. I decided the club could make some money so AI drove to Miami and signed the contract and paid a binder (from the club money) before getting the school's OK. Principal Woodall was fit to be tied - he said "Who will pay to go a basketball game with a bunch of DJs from out of town..... no one ever heard of these guys".

On their drive to Ft. Pierce they stopped at pay phones and called back to the radio station to talk about the game - even "Chickenman" interviewed them ( you remember ,“He’s Everywhere, He’s Everywhere!). Of course everyone listen to WQAM, and therefore everyone turned out. That was my first lesson in mass media marketing. I was so worried because I had promised to pay them more than we had in the club treasury. Not sure what I was thinking (maybe it was that I wasn't thinking - 17 year old hormones most likely played a roll in that lapse in judgment) and not sure what I would have done if it had failed. I was at the gym 2 hours early pacing and worrying. I looked to be the earliest heart attack candidate in our class.

The DJs arrived just before the game (they got lost) and by the time they took the court the gym was packed, and my butt was pulled out of the fire. I believe, that is the first time in my life that I can remember thinking I could do anything I set my mind to. I have pushed all the chips to the center of the table a number of times over my life, just like that WQAM basketball game. As a sidebar; to Principal Woodall's credit, he called me to his office the Monday and told me he was proud of the job we had done - but was quick to add that I was never to pull a stunt like that again without permission - can't say I took that advice completely to heart, but never pulled as "public of a stunt" while walking the hallowed halls of DMHS. Thanks Bobby, for causing me to remember that ball game.
Driving to Lums Restaurant with a car full of kids knowing that life will never again be this much fun.

Other DMHS memories include..........

Our Senior Trip to St Augustine when Mark Moore tried to buy beer with a fake ID and a fake mustache. While getting carded in a bar under a black light the glue that held the fake mustache on glowed green - no beer for Mark

The Burning of the Indian

Our Sheriff's daughter (that would be Lana Norvell) convincing the Sr. Float Committee it would be OK to "Borrow" a little wood from a construction site to finish out float

Getting rubber as you left the Senior parking lot

Mitch Hilburn signing "Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying" as the last song at every victory dance.

Cindy Stringfield's dad (the Highway Patrolman) scaring the crap out of me when I came to pick her up for a date

Driving my first car on my first out of town trip with a bunch of friends to see Paul Revere & the Raiders play in at Pirates World

Warren Crittenden teaching me to sail his Hobie Cat

Being a founding member of the Spirit of 70

Playing cards all night at David Feibelman's house

Landing the roll of the cheerleader in Cheaper By The Dozen, our Jr. Play

Mustering the courage to jump off Little Jim bridge

Dressing as a cheerleader with my fellow Key Clubbers for the Powerpuff football game

The fear of not being ask out at Twerp Week - thank God I wasn't overlooked - I gained a new respect of how hard it was for you ladies to wait to be ask out -- every week

Road trips to out of town football games

Laughing at anything Ronnie Grifffith said

Surfing North beach and letting the air out of the tires on any car with a Miami license plate (Miami Kooks)

Circling Bill's Burger 62 time in one night

Fairy Loops on shirts, Desert Boots, bleeding madras, 8-Track tapes, knots on your knees from paddling a surfboard was a good thing.

Learning to kiss in the back row of the Sunrise Theater

Growing up in a time that locking your doors was not needed, your word was all that mattered, and no one needed a lawyer except for a will.

And the list goes on..........