TYING UP LOOSE ENDS AND STARTING A NEW PHASE AT THE AGE OF 38

The
last time I saw Bernie was in October, 1974, in a courtroom and the
last time I had any communication with him (and that was many years
later) was when he, I and our  lawyers sat in a room and I looked
him directly in the eyes and said, "Bernie, I am sorry but it is all
over. No more games. As of this morning I told Billy to drop the suit,
that I want nothing more from or with you so find someone else to
play games with," and I walked out with my lawyer behind me. Earlier in
the day I went to Billy's office and told that I didn't want to go on
with the lawsuit to get my fair share of the business from Bernie and
WW. He felt with all the 'proof' we had such as my attending franchisee
owner's only meeting, working with franchise owners all over the world,
the papers I had where Bernie was going to divide everything
plus--remember we are dealing with lawyers here LOL--my being able to
show that   WW wouldn't allow 2 guys to own anymore
franchises was a lie, which would 'out' a few owners, which I told Billy
I would never do. It was over but certainly not ever forgotten. He said
that I was literally walking away from millions if not just a big
settlement. I told him all I wanted was my profit sharing, bonus and
other monies owed me, which came to about $25,000. Choosing between
money and getting on with my life, opening the new business, continue
what I loved doing and eliminating 'games' in my life was worth more.

I
learned a lot during those years with WW and while  most was good a few
things here and there weren't. I won't get into the company getting
into frozen products like ice cream or taking a part of the plan to have
more failures so more people would have to rejoin--that was all a part
of 'big business'. One of eye awakening things that happened was when I
got involved with the March of Dimes representing Weight Watchers of
Memphis. I don't recall whether I was on the 'Board' or just a volunteer
but I don't remember doing anything for them. One day I got an
invitation to come and "Celebrate our Volunteers". Long story short was
that they were inviting, and paying for, thousands of volunteers from
all over the States. When I called about making plane and hotel
reservations I was shocked to learn that the 'charity' was picking up
everything, including meals. This was to take place in New York City.
Now I threw a party in 1976 for 350 people that cost  over $14,000 and
though the MOD convention was a couple of years before that I have no
idea of how many thousands it cost which could have/should have gone
into research. I immediately resigned and ever since then I have given
donations and/or time to individuals or local organizations that I could
'look' in to and see where my time and money was going.

So
many things happened in the year of 1974 such as the Madison Square
celebration for WW's 10th anniversary, Franco Palumbo, the WW
International chef, and I becoming close and yet he couldn't have
anything to do with my opening of Our Weigh which I understood. There
was the trip Flo and Ritchie made by car with a revolver under the seat
along with $10,000 they were lending me and Bernie, being aware of what
was happening, treated them graciously. There was a franchise owner from
the northeast who came down to visit Bernie and he made a pass at
Johnny! There was the realization that as soon as I left WW I would lose
people who were friends, not only in Tennessee and Arkansas but
franchisees from all over the country. I do remember one being shocked
to find out that Bernie and I had been more than business partners!

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For
many years, even when we were together at the beginning, I referred to
Bernie not as my lover but as my hater. We had met at a time in both our
lives that we were destructive towards others and ourselves and served
that purpose for each other especially to play 'games' with each. It
would take a long time for me to understand that he really loved me,
that I had deeply hurt him but eventually I stopped with that hater
line. I came to see that Bernie had given me a lot, yes mainly
financially, and had made it possible for me to get the therapy that
made me lead a good, positive life for ever after. Twenty-twenty five
years later Bernie was still playing games. He would come to Fort
Lauderdale and call me when he knew I wasn't home--I use to have on my
answering machine the best times to call me and he never called during
those hours--and would just say he would like to see me but never left a
phone number or a place where he was staying so I could call him back. In
a way it left me sad because he was still playing games and I didn't
have the chance to thank him for all he exposed me to or to say,
"Bernie, I'm sorry."

Bernie
Abraham died in Memphis this past February being laid to rest on my
19th Leap Year Birthday, February 29, 2012. REST IN PEACE, AND THANK
YOU, BERNIE.

Bernie and I 1971 in  Memphis