Jack send me this little letter and said - I know you won't print this one...lol..
I have no problem in posting stories with facts. Arthur Irving helped me out a few times while I was in Saint John but I will keep these stories to myself.
My battle have never been against the Irvings. I'm just against Irving Management!!!!! But then again who are giving the orders???
Charles,
The Irvings,
The other day, while I was selling my book, The Unemployed Taxi Driver, shameless I know, the gentleman said to me the only reason you folks got the theater is because of the Irvings. You have to have inside connections, they have to know you.
I assured the gentleman that if the Irvings knew me really well they probably would never give me money, but that is another story. No, the Imperial Theater did not succeed because of the Irvings, they participated, but I did not think we would fail if they didn't participate.
The gentleman went further and said that I had much success with the Irvings. It was true. Arthur Irving once saved my marriage when I foolishly, but totally willingly put up $6,000.00 in cash to send Yvon Durelle to Archie Moore's funeral. I tried to explain to Frances that I could get that money back, no problem, it would just take me a few months, that's all.
On Saturday morning my daughter Erin said, "Dad, there's a guy on the phone that says he's Mr. Irving." I was still in bed and asleep and I figured it was Dave saying something stupid like he always does, which gets me into trouble all the time. I won't repeat my greeting but after hearing his voice,
"Are you up Jack. It's a beautiful morning. Have you been to the market yet?" I knew instantly it was Arthur Irving and he said he read an article in the paper about how I sent Yvon Durelle to Archie's funeral.
You see, you may not be aware of who Yvon Durelle was. He was a fisherman from the North Shore who boxed on the side and then kind of fished on the side, I guess. Anyway, Archie Moore was the undefeated middleweight champion of the world with 200 knockouts or some such ridiculous number and had never been defeated and Yvon was given a shot at Archie. Now if you have seen the Rocky movie then you know what happened. He knocked the crap out of Archie sending him to the mat three times and every time got a very slow count until Archie regained his strength. In the eleventh round, in one of the most exciting boxing matches in the total history of boxing, Yvon went down and the ref couldn't count fast enough.
Now here's where the story begins. Even though the win was credited to Archie, Archie told everyone that Yvonne beat him fair and square. They became life long friends, Yvonne becoming god father to Archie's children. They were fast friends and talked often. Archie went on to a life of fame and wealth and Yvonne went onto a life of tragedy and suffering. Yvonne wanted to go to Archie's funeral but because he was broke, disabled and would need a vigilant companion it seemed impossible. The funeral was somewhere in California in a few days. But the story in the paper said he wanted to go, was willing to go, could go if he could afford it, so I thought yes I could find sixty people to give me $100.00. But it would take me more than three days, so it was an easy call for me. Frances didn't get that.
"Yes, it is a beautiful Saturday morning," I coughed in his ear, as I desperately tried to clear my throat, sit up, open the curtain to see if it actually was a nice day, and wonder why he calling me.
"I was there. Ringside. Dad brought me Jim and Jack to the fight. We were, expletive deleted, robbed. I never saw Dad so mad in all of my life. Yvon was his friend too, from Bouctouche. Jack I want to pay that bill in total and thank you." Frances and I went out to dinner that night. I hadn't asked.
In fact, I was in a CBC interview with Costas Halaverezos in 1982. Costas asked me if the Irvings should give and I am pretty certain I said no. In fact, I suggested, if they tried to give it all, I would refuse it. Raising the million dollars was a way for the people to respond. However, I would love it if they participated, and they did, on committees, organizing events, attending meetings and all sorts of ways.
The gentleman said, "but you have to be a yes man" I said I have spoken freely, openly and critically of several Irving corporate practices. When I don't agree I say so and often write so. I was, after all, the first Leader of the Green Party of New Brunswick. I challenged them dozens of times throughout the campaign, often being rebuked by some as being ungrateful. I am not.
Here is the secret, I suggested. Start at the bottom, work your tail off, believe so hard in what you are doing that they soon want in on the action. If you do it right, by the end they are calling you to give, and every single time, that is what happened. Also, never approach them like the life of your project depends on them. If you do, you are already dead.
I got a beautiful, hand written, two page letter from Arthur and Sandra Irving and said thank you for the copy of the "The Unemployed Taxi Driver.". I will treasure it always.
