By Vern Holmquist
While attending Gallatin County High School in Bozeman, Mont., I participated in the annual Elk’s Minstrel shows.
The cast and workers for the show were the town’s business and professional men.
The show was done primarily in black face, however, there were three natural black faces on the stage – one being our club treasurer who had the best singing voice of all.
The show, true to form, was composed of front row “end men” with little funny skits backed up by a large men’s choir. The show worked around the man in the center, who was known as “Mr. Interlocutor.”
One of our little skits went like this:
Mr. Interlocutor: “Mr. Bones, what are you doing there?”
Mr. Bones: “I’m making a list of all the men I can whip.”
Mr. Interlocutor: “Mr. Bones, you have my name at the top of the list. You can’t whip me.”
Mr. Bones: “Who says I can’t whip you?”
Mr. Interlocutor: “I say you can’t whip me”
Mr. Bones: “Are you sure I can’t whip you?”
Mr. Interlocutor: “Yes, I’m sure.”
Mr. Bones: “Well then, I’ll just scratch you off my list.”
We have right here in Mt. Angel a man who no one could beat. (Please note that I don’t mean physically. I don’t want to see him challenged with fisticuffs.)
What I mean is I don’t believe there is anyone who could beat him in great achievement. We will again witness this during the four days of Oktoberfest. There is only one man whose fingerprint is on every thing that transpires here during the four-day Oktoberfest festival and that man is Mr. Jerry Lauzon.
Jerry is where the action is. Jerry is part of the inspiration for what happens. In the 11 years I have known this man I’ve been amazed by his devotion, 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year, and when the festival is barely finished he’s ready to get started on next year’s festival. Jerry is the meaning of devotion and he is probably the only truly irreplaceable man I have ever met.
So while the stars of the Oktoberfest may come and go, the brightest star, our biggest star, will burn brightly, I trust, for years to come.
So when you see Mr. Interlocutor strutting down the street, he has every right to strut. And when he steps onto a stage, give him a high sign and thanks.
I am not on Jerry’s staff and these words won’t get me a tall beer at the Glockenspiel or in the Weingarten.
It is just something I wanted to write. I would be proud to have a beer with this man who has done so much for our town.
Have a great Oktoberfest and as it has been said, “The proof of the puddin’ is in the eatin.’ ”
