Lawrence Paolino

Profile Updated: June 22, 2017
Residing In New Bern, NC USA
Spouse/Partner Yumi
Occupation Retired
Military Service Air Force  
Comments

Well quite a journey since the fun days at AHS. My mom sold our house and land and they built the Indian Ridge Country Club there. We moved to Western MA where I attended U. Mass and graduated with a degree in History. Will Hixson thought I would be a great History teacher. While I always had good grades in History, I decided I did not want to teach. I joined a service fraternity and while we did a lot of community service, we also partied several nights a week. I developed a taste for Scotch. One of the highlights of my early days at U. Mass were my trips to NYC to visit a dear friend there. Kent Warner and Bob Murphy ( North Andover High) came with me- I drove and we all regretted that. We got lost in Manhattan and I asked the same cop 3 times for directions- he said there better not be a 4th time. The second time I went by myself took the bus and got mugged on the way home and had to ward off some weirdo on the bus- no money left I called my cousin in Springfield to pick me at the bus station and he drove me home the next day.

In 1968 just after our 5th Reunion I was drafted but was able to get in the Air Force. I was stationed at 2 bases in SC, and my last tour was in Korea, where I met my wife, Yumi. During my time in the AF I was given the name of "Good Time " Larry- I definitely earned that name but actually it started at U. Mass. When I was discharged after 4 years of service, I ended up working for a large grocery chain as Assistant Store Manager. The highlight of my position was the parties I held every Saturday night- average attendance was 40-50 people. My wife asked me if I knew all these people. I said who cares- they came to party with Good Time Larry.

It took me a long time to find my career niche. i attended Grad School at U, Mass and took 3 years of Counseling Courses- I thought I wanted to get into college administration- what a mistake. I ran a motel for nearly 4 years. George B. finally tracked me down at the motel in Cambridge- talked me into going to the 15th Reunion. I also lived in Norwood and Salem, working for the defunct CETA Program as Training Manager. We lost our funding twice so I was out of a job on both occasions. Finally had a chance to try out college administration. Took a Area Manager of Housing position at WVU but had to leave after one year- I was not related to anyone in the State. So I took another college position at a small college in Wayne NJ. It is NJ that I finally found my career niche- Human Resources- I worked for 2 MA based companies (Cumberland Farms, and Friendly while living in NJ. They eliminated a lo of the Field HR positions so I was on the move again.

From there I moved to Laurel, MD (about a mile from the racetrack there. I won't go into all the jobs I have had but all my moves were due to company closings, bankruptcies, reduction in force, etc. But can't complain as I had some great bosses and positions in my 25+ years in Human Resources. George tracked me down again as I was AWOL for many years. I am not sure if he found me when I lived in Northern VA or was it in the VA Beach area?? I retired finally in 2009 and we moved to New Bern, NC, nice small town about an hour from the beaches.

Whew I am tired writing all of this and I am sure you are tired of reading it. I left out a lot of juicy stories- some would be R or X rated. Oh by the way I gave up gambling. Do any of your remember the racing sheets we exchanged in Trig class?? Well I do play my former company's office football pool and won $700 last year but that's not really gambling is it??
As you can see I still have a sense of humor and I promised my wife of 40 years that I will finally grow up one day.

Wish the best to all my former AHS classmates !!!!

Well it is finally time for Chapter Two of Goodtime Larry.
Back at AHS I balked at the idea of taking typing class. What take a class with all those girls !!! Foolish me that would have been paradise. Anyway it will be a
decision that hanunts me even today. Excuse my typos !!!
Anyway when I joined the Air Force I had to take four tests: Pilot, Navigator, Mechanical, amd Admin. Well I had terrible eye sight and would crashed the plane so pilot and navigator were out. I have terrible mechanical skills even though I was great in Shop (NOT). So finally I got extremely high 90's in Admin.
Just like some of the Red Sox pitchers with their fastballs. I was sent to TAC
headquarters in beautful Sumter, SC. When driiving through the street in donwtown Sumter it reminded me of Green Acres with Arnold the pig jaywalking. When I arrived at my new assignment I fouund out that I was suppose to do the tpying for three officers. I wanted to know if I could resign but the only way out was going AWOlL and I would not do that. For months I struggled to type those memos. My desk was right in front of the LT Col who was my immediate sueprvisor. He was a great guy but he kept making me nervous asking" Paolino how is that memo comng? I said which one Sir? The one I gave you four hours ago. Trying to help me he had me visit the base typing teacher, Portia Myers. She was a real Soithern Belle but to me a ding dong. Not having any choice, I was enrolled in the typing class. I can still remember her yelling at me "Boy stopping looking at the key board " I have the bruises on my knucles to prove how good she was with a ruler. Well I got a little better looking at the keys !!! One night I was bored with hanging out in the barracks and headed into Colmbia SC about 34 miles away and did some serious partying. After a long night of downing many beers I headed back to the base. I missed the exit to the base gate and ended up in a small strip mall wandering aroudn the lot like I was lost. This did not look like the base I don't remember any retail stores there. One of Sumter;s finest stopped me and askec what I was doing and I said I am trying to find my room. He says he has
a better room for me and put me in the Sumter jail to prorect myself and the citizens of Sumter. When i woke up I called Col Trent and explained what happened. I asked him if I was in trouble ande he said as liong as I don't miss my typing class at 2pm. They let me out about 1 PM and I rushed to put on my uniform, no time for a shower. I smelled like a Lite beer !!!. Portia Myers saw me coming into the class and yelled you look like crap boy !!!. Now start typing. I did not look at the keys but passed out on the keyboard. She called my Colonel and complained. He was tired of her calls and she had a lot of pull on the base as her daddy was a retired General. About a week later the Colonel told that he got me an inrerview with John Colones. the Education Officer and he was looking for a new man without any typing !!!!. We hit it off and I got the position as an Educaitonal Counselor. Two good things as Mr Colones was a civilain and he was also the base softball coach. I made it to heaven !!!

If I have a chancee to speak to freshman students at AHS, I would tell them TAKE TPYING !!!!

School Story

Enjoyed school immensely. While I was teased a lot- I never took it seriously. I was friendly to everyone but tended to hang out with the jocks. I had to work after school and never could participate in sports but as a Honor Student, I gave the jocks some "academic credibility"

Best story was Trig Class with Mr Boelke (not sure about the spelling) I still can remember one of us stealing his detention book- was that you Mouse??
We picked the horses for the races at the Rock and I carelessly turned the racing sheets with my homework one day. I had a special page in the detention book reserved in my name- I am grateful that the book disappeared.

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Feb 23, 2024 at 11:22 PM

Happy Birthday Janice. I hope you enjoyed your special day.

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Nov 12, 2023 at 7:55 PM

Happy Birthday Pam Enjoy your special day !!!!

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Nov 09, 2023 at 6:49 PM

Happy Birthday Diane !!!!!

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Posted on: Aug 20, 2023 at 12:28 AM

Happy Birthday Mary !!!!!. I hope you had a great day.

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Happy Birthday Karen !!!!!

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Happy Birthday Ginny !!!!!

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Happy Birthday Norm !!!! I hope you had a great day

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Jun 10, 2023 at 4:52 PM

Posted on: Jun 10, 2023 at 11:38 AM

Happy Birthday Herb !!! I hope you are doing well there.

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Apr 11, 2023 at 4:24 PM

Happy Birthday Marsha !!!!

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Posted on: Feb 21, 2023 at 1:14 PM

Happy Birthday Janice .Enjoy your special day !!!!

Feb 02, 2023 at 12:54 PM

Happy Birthday Jan !!!!!!

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Posted on: Dec 14, 2022 at 4:05 PM

Happy Birthday Judy !!!!!

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Posted on: Aug 22, 2022 at 2:39 PM

Happy Birthday Pam Enjoy your special day !!!!

Jul 14, 2022 at 2:25 PM

Happy Birthday Norm. I hope you and your family are doing well.

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Jul 05, 2022 at 4:34 PM

Posted on: Jul 05, 2022 at 2:54 PM

Happy Birthday Kevin !!!!





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