DAY 207: THE DAY MISS AMERICA CAME to LORETTO to HAVE HER LEGS SHAVED
Tuesday, July 27, 2010 at 06:44PM 
No, the Miss America who came to Loretto to have her legs shaved was not Heather French Henry. She is pictured here in 2006 at a political function in Lebanon, trying to persuade my dad to place a bid on the cake she is carrying. My dad's first brush with a Miss America came years ago - and really "takes the cake", so to speak.
One of my siblings just relayed to me a story our dad told today about the Loretto incident that occurred back in the 1970's...I thought it was too funny not to share here, and those of you who know my dad will especially appreciate this story. I hope I'm getting all the details right, but I am changing one party's name to only his initials. Enjoy!
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THE DAY MISS AMERICA CAME TO LORETTO TO HAVE HER LEGS SHAVED
As the story goes, in the mid to late 1970’s one of the morning cereal companies was running a rebate promotion. Collect and turn in a certain number of box tops and the company would issue a refund check. The kicker? The check would be signed by the then reigning Miss America! Not so much for the Miss America thing, and likely more related to the budgetary situation at home, Mom dutifully collected the requisite number of box tops and mailed them in.
Sure enough, a week or so later a shiny new check appeared in the Mattingly mailbox, payable to Junie Mattingly in the sum of $3.00, and signed by the reigning Miss America. To top it off, a color picture of Miss America sporting her crown and banner appeared on the check itself so as the connection with Miss America's name would not be lost.
The check was turned over to Dad for deposit in the family's thin account at the local bank. However, Dad thought better of it. This could be turned into bigger things. The check lay around the barber shop for a few days until “B.G.” came in one afternoon for a haircut. At the conclusion of the haircut, B. G. began telling Dad of a recent encounter with some VIP in Lexington. "It sure is a small world," commented B.G.
Always one to recognize an invitation, Dad took B.G.’s comment as such and replied, "It sure is a small world. You know, just last week Miss America happened to be coming through Loretto. She was running late for some appearance and apparently hadn't had time earlier that day to shave her legs. So, seeing the Loretto Barber Shop sign, she stopped in to inquire whether I shave women's legs." The story continues that Dad assured her that he was competent for the job. Miss America, modest as she was, required the shades to be drawn and her male attendants to leave the room.
However, like so many of Dad's customers, when the work was finished Miss America revealed that she had not a cent to pay Dad. At this, B. G. thought the bluff was on, to which Dad explained, "She said in a few days she'd just send a check. Sure enough, the check just arrived. I've got it right here if you want to see it."
Of course, B. G. was astounded with the proof. All this celebrity having occurred right there in Loretto and no one even knew about it! "What are you going to do with that check?" B.G. asked. "Well, I guess I'll go down to Hubert's Store and apply it to the grocery bill." was the response.
"Oh! You can't do that! That check is part of Loretto history. It is perhaps the only evidence that Miss America was ever in Loretto!" To which Dad assured B.G. that it was no big deal.
B. G., insisting, tells Dad that he simply cannot negotiate the check. "I'll give you $20 for that check just so history can be preserved!"
"Well, alright…if you insist. But really, it's not that big a deal. Just another day on the job."
Daddy says he never told B.G. any different, but assumes he learned later the real story....because Dad got a big laugh telling the tale around Loretto after B.G.’s story of the proof of Dad's encounter with Miss America - right there in Loretto - began to make its way around town.
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Reader Comments (1)
This was the best story yet.....I love it....