156
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156
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Transcription
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The contact with Rotarians from these countries was an experience I will always cherish. At every opportunity possible, I would remove my bureaucratic hat and put on my professional hat and attend Rotary. I often was able to get personal opinions and some times very frank statements and attitudes that other countries had of the United States and of the American people.
Verna and I attended the Rotary International Convention in Lucerne, Switzerland, in May of 1957. I helped start the Izmir Turkey Club in 1960, this was the third club to be formed in Turkey. I attended, again in Izmir in May of 1982 when Verna and I were there on a visit.
If leaving my wife sitting in a car, or in a hotel room for hours, while I hunted up a Rotary meeting, can be called wife abuse, I am guilty. I would go out of my way, or change my travel schedule, to make a meeting, and Verna would sit and wait for me.
On one trip home on leave, we drove thru France. We stopped one night in Fontainbleau [sic], the Rotary club was meeting in the same hotel where we were staying. This was the first meeting of the season and it was Ladies' night, so Verna attended with me, and if it hadn't been for her knowledge of French I would have had a difficult time making our wishes known.
At the dinner there was much toasting and many greetings. We were treated well but few could speak English. There were many toasts and the wine bottles lined up the full length of the table. The main meal was finally served. Verna was tired and asked to be excused, and I stayed for a while and presented the banner from the Longmont Rotary club. When I left the meeting, I went back to our room, I didn't want to disturb Verna, so I left the light off. I took my tooth brush from my case and a tube, I thought was tooth paste, but it turned out to be Mentholatum. I could taste this tooth brush every time it was wet, and I soon got a new one. Verna still accuses me of getting too much wine.
I attended the Amman, Jordan, club many times during our stay in Jordan. Every time I appeared at the meeting, the Club President would say, "We have an American guest today; the meeting will be conducted in English." I soon became aware of the fact that the majority of the members were refugees from Palestine, these were Doctors, Teachers and Business men that had been in Palestine while under the British, so they all spoke good English.
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Rights
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Metzger Memories
