Henry Raymond
Fairfax News => Current News & Events => Topic started by: Henry on September 06, 2007, 08:33:40 AM
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Hi All,
I would guess that 99% of you have absolutely no idea who Benny was.
Benny was my old boss at Vermont Paint & Wallpaper in Burlington which was the last job I had before starting my employment at IBM in May, 1957. The original Burlington Paint & Wallpaper was located in a 3 story brick building on the corner of Pearl and South Winooski Avenue. Just before I left, the business was moved up on North Street and the Catholic School was in its back yard. Not sure just when, but the business at that new location on North Street burned and I believe to this day it is just an empty lot.
I have nothing but good things to say about Benny as a boss. I went for my interview without his knowledge and when I was hired, as was their custom, IBM called my employer and told them they had hired me and I would be starting on a certain date. Needless to say, Benny was upset as we had just moved into the new store. He told Vin Relyea, the IBM Personnel guy that I would have to work out a six week notice. Vin then asked to speak with me and asked me if I thought working out a six week notice would be difficult and I told him, no, that I had no problem and that Benny was not keeping me there to give me a difficult time.
During the course of the six weeks as I cataloged the thousands of patterns of wallpaper and their locations, Benny continued to try and convince me to stay, but I was looking for a secure job that would last me for the rest of my life and knew that a private business would not give me that. I left with no hard feelings and went back to visit him at the store on numerous occasions.
By the way, on my last day of work for Benny, he presented me with a check for $500 as a bonus for my staying the additional six weeks. Now considering the fact that I was making only $50 a week, this certainly was quite a shot in the arm.
Benny (Benjamin Greenblott) died at the age of 97 in the Vermont Respite House and his obituary is in today's Burlington Free Press.