I was laid off at Interco. The President called me into his office and explained he had to let me go. He said he had not done his job as a businessman by not reducing the inventory. He said over the past few months he had learned that I knew my stuff and he wish he knew that long ago but I was kept insulated from him by his middle management. I propositioned him with the idea of taking a pay cut but he said the cut that was necessary would be an insult to me. He let me go.

With no job, no wife, and no children I packed up my things and moved in with family in Lancaster, PA. I did medial jobs just to hang on. I waited for a year to develop residency in Pennsylvania so I could go back to school to complete my bachelor’s degree in computer science. Meantime while I waited, I took adult evening classes to brush up on my computer skills. In a way, it was a breath of fresh air. A return to the earth. I could walk two blocks up to the top of the so-called mountain (so-called because it was more of a hill) and listen to the tree frogs at night during summer. We were high enough that our back balcony overlooked the entire village below. Hot air balloons abounded and wafted through the air.

What appeared to be a slower pace of life was overshadowed with the fact that the area was a magnet for those escaping overcrowding in the cities. What was once pure agriculture and rural was quickly becoming suburban with its suburban problems. I was considered an "outsider" and the reason why the landscape was changing. A neighbor across the street didn't liked where I parked once and bellowed, "Go back to NY!" My accent was a dead give away and always caused hesitancy and a lack of trust with the natives.

The big event for the week was the opening of the "Green Dragon" flea market every Friday. It was a meeting place with great food if nothing else. The best thing was the ice cream sold by the Mennonite girls. 15% pure cream with real fruit. Working retail I learned a little secret about the Mennonite girls and they certainly were NOT Amish. In contrast, Mother Goose was on the skids... an ambulance can only go so fast... it just doesn't matter, but it's either that or pay off the kidnapper... the critics were no better than me from what they'd shown... there was nothing like a friend who could tell you "you're just pissinn' in the wind... I knew the man who had a different story for every set of eyes... it wasn't me, and I hope it wasn't you."

It took some time, but eventually I began to make friends at work and gain acceptance and tolerance, but this was near the end of my year there and unfortunately a little too late. Once in a while when I go back there I run into my old manager who taught me a great deal about salesmanship in consumer electronics. Unfortunately, I could not stay. There was just not enough opportunity for me there.

Started running back and forth on my days off to scout out universities offering computer science degrees, places to live, and of course, employment. I moved to Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, PA.