Here's how it was, kids

Back before all of you were born, grandma Letty was relieved of her duties at the Orlando (FL) Sentinel when the paper was purchased by a Chicago company; since she had to support herself somehow, she began to teach part time at several colleges and sell something called "Timeshare."

In Orlando, all she had to do was get a real estate license and look presentable and be upright. A lot has changed, but what else is new?

In 1978, the industry was recovering from being like the wild west. Felons and drunks and disbarred lawyers and used car salesmen were grandma Letty's fellows. We'd often get paid (or not paid) more or less depending on whim, and the contests were legendary. Grandma Letty got a "spiff" (reward) of $5000 once for selling the most timeshare weeks in a month. She didn't believe it until the check cleared the bank.

Eventually, order was more or less restored. The earliest Timeshare resorts were staffed by veterans of the Florida land sales of the 1920's and 30's, and when a developer pulled into town to recruit workers, he hired car salesmen; so the terms "spiff" for bonus, "T.O." for Take Over by the Sales Manager. and other arcane language is familiar to every ex car salesman. In those days, when we got paid (if we did) we got from $500 to $700 a sale. We "hauled" "ups" or took clients on a tour, had a "love line" where the salesmen got preferential treatment if they were very, very friendly with the sales manager. (Especailly females.)

Grandma Letty worked her way into a real estate firm which specialized in timeshare and which had so many that when we sold out one, we had another to go to. That was a breakthrough. Our manager used to laugh at the family ownership and when a new baby was born in the family the manager would announce "he was just appointed vice president of sales" which was about what it was like.

In Orlando, eventually some 40 timeshare resorts sprouted up, so we could always work. I stayed with Island One, my group, and more or less respected the firm. In fact, I even sold them T-shirts to wear as uniforms. In 1983, we were sent to Freeport, Virgin Islands for selling $600000 in one month, and because I led the line, Dan, my husband, was included, too. This was a line of some 20 ragtag souls who really had a good time. I won the ping pong tournament, and my TO had bet on me and made a fortune. Good days.

Just about then I was asked to be editor of a paper and did that for 17 years. After all, that's what I was trained for. I had a great time doing that, too, and when I retired, moved to California, and flirted with timeshare sales again, I found that big boys were in the game. Wyndham granted me an interview after I aced their personality test, and so did Lawrence Welk resort. Since the latter was 8 miles from home, I was hoping it would work out. Needless to say, I got my real estate license.

I'll let you know

Work hard and have fun and be like Jennika, Magna Cum Laude. (That's a good thing.)

Love,

Grandma Letty