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Re: (erielack) Re: Speaking of Sammy (Was Diamond)

   Yes, indeed, he had a wife & kids. His son, Terry Miller, was my fireman on several occasions. I couldn't bring myself to retaliate because the kid was a really nice guy - bore no resemblance to his daddy. As for Christmas, Sammy never loosened up. This could work to ur advantage on occasion.....forinstance........
     I was dating a French exchange student who had a teaching position at SUNY Binghamton. Around the beginning of December, I missed a call & was summoned to Sammy's 'TORTURETOWER' in the Binghamton passenger station. After the usual farce of a hearing (similar to Stalin's Moscow purge trials) I was given 10 days off without pay. The crew dispatcher called me the next day & told me that "Since we're really busy right now, Mr. Miller said to tell you he will call you in January to let you know when to take your time off."  I called the local chairman of the BLE and he called the office & told Sammy that the contract stated 'Discipline will commence immediately - not in a month or two'. I soon got another very irate phonecall from the crewdispatcher who yelled, "You can start serving your days off RIGHT NOW!!".
The phone slammed down with a CRASH!!!
       It was typical 7 PM Binghamton weather - 10o and a powdery snow falling but as the song goes 'The weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful - Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow'. I told Chantal Jacqueline Maximillienne to get dressed & we went downtown to where my friend Jerry Hand was covering my job on the passenger drill. The engine was parked in one of the sleeper tracks at the station while the crew was getting coffee in the station restaurant. Chantal & I climbed onto the engine & entered the cab where I told Jerry how sorry I was to see him out here in the cold but she and I had to get back to the house in Conklin. As we climbed down to the platform, Chantal asked "Whaaat waass that word he called you??" She wasn't acquainted with American profanity too much.........
      It was a WONDERUL holiday season, snug & warm by the fireplace in the little cabin on the hill just South of the Conklin yard crossing which we could hear #5 blowing for as she went toward Binghamton. Best of all, I had an Christmas and New Years off due to the unexpected generosity of SAMMY. It don't get much better than that. I take that back - one of my neighbors put it best - Chantal & I were at a Christmas party at his house and I commented on the jacket his wife had gotten him but he said to me "You got the best present of all - a French dishwasher!!". I darn near choked on my drink.

Regards to all u guys out there

Walter E. Smith - EL Employee #102156



________________________________
From: "Njricky2_@_aol.com" <Njricky2@aol.com>
To: erielack_@_lists.railfan.net
Sent: Tue, December 8, 2009 9:51:39 PM
Subject: (erielack) Re: Speaking of Sammy (Was Diamond)


Walt,

I found a number of posts in my files that you sent about Sammy Miller 
awhile back. I really enjoyed rereading them. He sounds like a railroad version 
"Fred Mertz" but unlike Fred Mertz, Sammy sounds nasty, angry and 
vindictive. Fred was just a grouch and cheap.

How was Sammy around Christmastime? Was he a "Bahhumbug" kind of guy or did 
he loosen up a bit? Did he have a wife and kids?

Rick


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