Remembering Rick

by Jon Griswold

In the early 90’s I was working for a company in CT when I found out that Stone & Berg was hiring.  The position was for an outside sales rep for the CT area and since I was looking to change careers, I made the call. I didn’t know much about Stone & Berg other than the people I talked to on the telephone “spoke funny.”  But I called anyway and spoke to Rick and scheduled an interview for the following week. I put on my special occasion suit because that’s what the sales reps who called on me wore.  Didn’t matter how well it fit, or that I didn’t have any “bling” to accessorize it with. After meeting Rick, we went into an office for the interview. Spending about an hour going over the job, the industry and the locksmiths I knew, we shook hands and was told he’d give me a call. I thought it went well, but not knowing Rick I wasn’t so sure. But the call came and I was asked to come in again and offered the job. Being so inexperienced, I was really surprised that they hired me. It was later that I learned that Rick loved the NY Giants, just like me. I think he just needed someone else on his side. I worked with Rick for a few years and learned why everyone valued his friendship and marveled at his vast knowledge. My office day always included a lunch with Rick where he would talk about how everything was going. One day he mentioned a little building on RT 10 on the Auburn line where he once thought about opening a Lockshop. When I decided to leave Stone & Berg to open my own Lockshop, Rick wished me well and told me to let him know if I needed anything. For the next 15 years I took him up on his offer, never hesitating to call to place orders, to get answers, or just to talk. When the opportunity to work with Rick again opened up I didn’t hesitate. It was like nothing ever changed. I had the same sales position, visiting the same locksmiths, and most importantly the same Rick. Just like before, my job included an office day every 2 weeks to handle paperwork, returns and to pick up supplies. I changed it to every week, not because it was needed, but I enjoyed talking to Rick and asking more questions. We would usually go to lunch, where unlike before, we would talk about everything but work. We talked about our families, kids and grandkids, sports and just life in general. Once in awhile we would make a delivery and travel the streets of Worcester. My favorite was when he showed me where he once lived when he was a teenager, a store he went to, and a neighborhood he knew well. And then like a special treat, a visit to Coney Island to get some Chili Dogs. It is a memory I will always cherish and I’d like to think he enjoyed the ride as much as I did. Over the years he had been a coach, a teacher, a confidant, a golfing buddy, and someone to cheer on the Giants with me when they won, and moan when they didn’t. But most of all he was a friend, one I will miss.