I am a bike business lifer (since high school in 1971) and that story beats all! Welcome to the group and thank you for your story.
David Feldman
>
> Stevo blats:
>
> >Pay attention now. This lady knows her stuff. If we treat her nice, she
> >may be able to answer some questions for us.
> >She left out the good part about building frames for that French
> >mysteryclady who vanished into thin air. Tell us the story, Jackie.
>
> No pressure or anything--jeez! Just when you think you're safe, the ex-
> spouse rears his head ;-)
>
> Actually, we're pretty good friends. It's his fault I'm on this list!
>
> In answer to his prodding...
>
> The year was 1980. Reagan was just elected, Lennon was still alive. I
> answered an ad for mechanics for a new frame-building enterprise.
> Brigitte
> was her name--lots of free cash, estranged American husband. She
> hired me.
> Lots of Vitus tubes--a warehouse full. Too many glued- and-screwed
> frames.
> She was volitile. I learned how to cut tubes and braze. Things got weird.
> Brigitte spent lots of time on the phone SCREAMING in French. We fought
> (she fought with everybody). Was I fired or did I quit--no one really
> knows.
>
> All of a sudden-poof--she's gone. I always suspected some sort of
> French Connection thing. About 6 months later, notice of Federal
> auction. Hmmmm.
>
> Fast forward to '88. I visited a small builder north of Boston with one of
> my mechanics who wanted to buy some tubing. *THIS GUY HAD THE STOCK!***
> (World is too damn small...) Turns out she really was importing something
> other than high quality cro-mo. My small triumph is that I was never
> supoened!
>
> There you have it.
> Jackie O, National Woman of Mystery
> ------- End of forwarded message -------