by Michael Easton » Sun Jul 12, 2020 5:18 pm
The year was 1969 while working at CJVI 900am in Victoria. It was a Friday night, and I was doing the all night show. Just after I had read the 1am newscast, I noticed I was out of my cigarettes, yes we actually smoked everywhere, including master control. I had another deck of Players filter in my car which was parked in front of the radio station at 817 Fort Street, so I put a block in the door so I could get back in the station, and as I was making my way to my 65 gold Mustang, I heard the door behind me CLICK. My keys were in a pocket in the announcers room. Fortunately the then Chicken Delight, a few doors down was just closing up, so I explained my problem, and they let me use their phone to call? First on my list was the guy who hired me, Joe Easingwood, but Joe no answer phone.. the last person I wanted to phone was the PD Ron Robinson.. my next call went out to our News Director at the time Lorne Cunningham, but he was nowhere to be found... I decided to call the General Manager Ken Goddard, a man who was a friend and good drinking buddy, but now answer... Running out of time because it was a 45 RPM that was running and now into the ditch. So, I humbled myself and called PD Ron Robinson, who said he was on his way down. Ron played it to hilt, screaming his car up in front of the days, running out of his car, in no less his dressing gown, lol... I laugh about that to this day. anyhow, Ron opened the door for me and up the stairs I ran. I was totally ashamed of myself, that I quickly put on another record, not saying a word, until Ron, when he got home phoned me and said, at least come back with the station name and addy... Needless to say, I was totally embarrassed
Ron fired me in 1972 under the orders of the late John Ansell, something he doesn't remember, and I believe him. Many of us were let go by Ansell because the station was switching to Country Music...I understand, we didn't all fit the new format
In later life I had the opportunity to hire Ron as one of my Vehicle Delivery Drivers for VDS. I always joked that I hired Ron to Fire him