Feb 24, 2021
Thanksgiving in Cape – 1981
I could be off a year … it mighta been 1980. I had relocated to Kansas City about a year before Rush and I met … when he made a sales call on me.
I was National Sales Manager for Western International’s Crown Center Hotel in KC a/k/ a “The hotel with the waterfall in the
lobby”. Rush was newly hired by the KC Royals as a Group Sales Guy. He hoped our convention groups might be likely customers.
I’ll never forget … Rush brought along a woman from The Royals Ticket Office “in case you have questions I can’t answer. I’m kinda new …”. A very attractive woman whose husband was in a prolonged coma from a motorcycle accident. Why do I remember THAT? She later got involved with former Cincy Reds star Vada Pinson. WHY do I remember THAT?
I was impressed with his honesty. A friendship of 40 years and many memories began that fateful day.
Rush’s first divorce was soon behind him so we were “just a coupla single guys”.
Rush invites me to celebrate Thanksgiving with him and his family in Cape Girardeau “on the banks of The Mighty Mississippi.”
Not to show off his new friend “The Fancy Hotel Guy”. Just to be nice.
For the past few years, Rush has had 2-3 Maybachs at $500,000/per. Why 2 – 3? One at PB … No clue where he kept the others. I learned never to ask him why re: such matters.
Why would two people, two dog and a cat live in a 30,000 sq ft Oceanside Mega Mansion? When I make my first $50,000,000 I’m sure I’ll understand.
In 1980, Rush owned a freakin’ Oldsmobile the size of a Coast Guard Cutter. Something “Huggy Bear” from Starsky & Hutch would die for. It had tail fins the size of an Orca. We drove that the six hours to Cape Girardeau MO that holiday weekend.
Rush’s parents lived on Karau Lane. That house was destroyed in a fire but that was many years later.
“Our Rush” was Rush Limbaugh III. His dad – “Big Rush” – was Rush Limbaugh Jr. The patriarchal Godfather was Rush Limbaugh Sr. He lived to be 103. I always had “our Rush” figured for late 80s easy.
I had a wonderful time that weekend. Rush’s Mom –“Millie” – was from Arkansas and a dead ringer for Minnie Pearl. If anyone did NOT like Millie Limbaugh it was a “Their” problem. Just as nice and fun to be around as she could be.
“Big Rush” was a grouchy old bear who delighted in creating confrontations out of thin air. I LOVED “Big Rush”. He was just short of “that guy” who stands in his front yard and throws rocks at cars.
Did I say I LOVED “Big Rush”. He was VERY smart and a crackerjack lawyer when he wanted to be. But he’d rather “hold court” in “his chair” in the TV room with a card table set up in front with a giant go cup of Diet Coke.
He loved watching “The Cardinals” play baseball on TV with Harry Caray or Jack Buck. No matter what Whitey Herzog did it was IDIOTIC … “What A Dummy” … “They oughta bring back that other dummy before they hired this dummy …”. Rush had warned me he was prone to fits of “tempestuousness”.
We had a grand time. I agreed with him enough that he was grateful Rush had “finally found a friend with some good sense”. He seemed worried I might not be around long … only 40 years is all.
Did I mention that Big Rush and Millie introduced Blondie’s parents to each other … then Rush introduced Blondie and me. Eerie … huh!
I met younger brother David that same weekend. Helluva nice guy. Like his dad and grandfather … a successful lawyer in Cape. As well as Rush’s Consigliere and “Agent” from Day One with EIB. Also a best selling author with 5-6 books on “Christian Politics”.
Blondie and David communicate frequently over Saving Western Civilization etc etc. Very smart man. All “The Limbaughs” share that trait. … It was David that called us at 10 AM last Wednesday that Rush had died. Blondie’s fear these last months was she would learn it over the Internet.
That trip in 1981 was my first visit to Cape Girardeau MO. In the ensuing 40 years there would be many many more. “Cape” is Blondie’s Home Town.
Big Rush and Millie passed away in the mid 90s but they were around long enough to see Rush “amount to something”. It had been a concern. The house on Karau Lane was a vacant lot the last time I drove by.
Blondie’s folks are both gone now too. Blondie’s mom passed away a year ago this month. No real reason to go back to “Cape” any more.
That’s not quite true. We’ll be back in Cape this Wednesday. More about “The Reason Why” later.
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More of The Rush Chronicles by BobLee – Click Here.
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