Floor wax (thanks to Marvin Moy, MD)

I had to grin at first when I saw how you addressed me: by my last name! I didn't realize until years later how unusual that was. A friend of mine commented on how we referred to each other by our last names: I simply explained that because it was a military school, that's how we were called, it's what was on our name tags, and that's how we knew each other.

As to your comments: the deodorant pads were something like "Secret" or "7-Day Deodorant Pads." In any case, like you, I only used them once.

Your story about Taylor with his incredible shoes, reminded me of my upper school B Company commander at the time. This guy had the most INCREDIBLE spit-shined shoes that I've ever seen to this day. About 20 years later, I spotted him behind the counter at a 7-11. Although I smiled that here was this hot-shot co commander -- and I a 4-yr PFC (if you include 8th gr) -- he was the one with the less than glamorous job (not that a job indicates one's worth nor is working at a 7-11 not a good public service.) I just meant that the Company Cdr at FUMA were gods in a sense, but that didn't seem to necessarily predict one's future position in life...lol.

HOWEVER, despite all that I just said, I s-t-i-l-l had to ask him that one question that haunted me during my days at FUMA: "How the hell did you ever spit-shine your shoes so incredibly well?" I thought for sure, he'd cough up the secret now (I was in the Army then and thought I could use that trade secret...finally.) His reply along the lines was something to the effect that it wasn't any secret: just hard work.

I didn't believe him (not that it wasn't true.) After all, that's how I remembered this guy: from his shoes!

Another related story was when I served as a PR man/Narrator for the Army's Golden Knights Parachute Team. We would spend many long hours on various aircraft going to air shows around the country (and overseas too.) During one long trip, one of my teammates, a "Black Hat" (Airborne School instructor) -- w/o my knowledge -- took just ONE of my shoes and polished it to a shining gleem like you wouldn't believe. I was sleeping on that flight at the time.

When we got off the plane, here were local politicians, news folks, VIPs and the like to greet us. I quickly scrambled to get myself together. I put on my spit-shined shoe and looked hopelessly for my other one. "I can't find my shoe, " I desperately said to no one in particular. "No, Hodges, THAT one over there is yours!" I looked at a barely polished OTHER shoe in surprise. "But it can't be!" (or words to that effect.) "No, Hodges, you shined that one with a Hershey Bar it seems," quipped the 'Black Hat,' we shined the other word to standard. Better get it to standard too pretty quick."

So as I stumbled out of the aircraft steps to meet the line-up of VIPs, I couldn't help but glance down at my own shoes and notice the contrast: one gleaming for all it's worth in the bright daylight sun...and the other looking like I had crapped on top of it!

And finally, this thought: think of all the wasted time we spent buffing floors and shining shoes. Not too long after I joined the Army, the came out with Cordovan shoes that didn't need to be spit-shined. Now...about a year or so ago, they came out with our new combat boots. Yep, you guessed it: brown non-shine boots...desert colored!

Guess it kept us out of trouble (listening to Pink Floyd, not going to concerts, nor doing the "normal" things most teenage boys of that era did!)

P.S. What years were you there?

Does anyone remember during the 60s using certain underarm deodorant pads that would really get your shoes to sparkle if you were in a hurry -- BUT, god forbid it rained, your shoes were cake: they became clouded over.

I even carried a WOMAN'S STOCKING -- I kid you not -- with the foot cut off. We'd hide them in our covers and they could TAKE A NICK out of a spitshined shoe w/o ruining the spit shine.

I even used them in Basic Training until the Drill Sergeant one day saw the end of the stocking haning out of my pocket. He was convinced I was a perv or some sort. That ended that!

There were all sorts of secret potions, some that came issued by commercial vendors (instant spit shine, etc) that I found worthless. Some cadets would heat up their Kiwi shoe polish, convinced that it brought the "good stuff" to the top or made the polish some how better.

WHAT SECRETS DID YOU ALL HAVE??

Ha! John was cheatin with the plastic shoes!

I do remember the Bowling Alley wax doin a heck of a job on shoes... But if you did it too much, the leather would eventually crack. You could always tell those guy by their combat boots... Shiny toes, but the soft leather behind it looked like sandpaper!

HAHA!!!...my wife thinks that I am a freak because I still do that when I shine my shoes (which is quite often). I have had so many people comment on them. They say the first thing people look at is your shoes. Funny how the lessons learned a long time ago stick with you.

Does anyone remember who had the electric buffer? I remember that it was a real treat to get a hold of that. I remember it being in Echo Company. Was it for use for the company common areas or something like that?

Nick

Well friend, thats what they sell in the Cadet Store now. I arrived there as Dr. Moy was using a point and shoot. So I, with my handy Canon D5 sporting a 70-200mm IS 2.8f offered to capture the moment; that ofcourse being the finest photograph available of what was in stock.

Gar....nice photo, but that's not the bowling alley wax I remember using.

Anyone else remember the rumors of the wax being used for more nefarious purposes than shining floors?

Nice pic! I like the composition of the colored sponges.

Dave,
You could start making extra $$$ by undercutting the Cadet Store, however; I imagine your wax is more expensive than theirs. I would use the Renaissance brand of microcrystalline wax myself...the only approved preservation wax used by the Smithsonian on metal, glass and ceramic tile - though it is considerably more expensive than either your offering or that of the Cadet Store. I wonder what it would do on blackened shoe leather?

Again a real pleasure to meet you and your son this last weekend.

Great photo!

My son enjoyed meeting you this past weekend. He even whipped your card out from his wallet when he told me about you. He lives in your old room on the first floor of Bravo. Thanks for brightening his day with good stories :lol:

:lol: Oncearunner,
You know that is way too funny I do the samething!! :lol:
It's funny how the little things always follow you in life!! Of course it wasn't a little thing then to walk down the middle of the hall...

Good evening to all! Hope to see you at Alumni Week-end Class '88!

Wax topic--My roomate, John Hunter, and I were crazy enough at the time to spit shine the floor on occassion. Johnson's was the very best wax made for a good old fashion spit shine!

Nark can verify!

Wax Fumes??

I spent my 7th and 8th grade in the junior school before going to the upper school and every $%$*@ morning. I lived on B-2 and B-3 and we'd had to get up, use the bathroom then wait in line at a large utility sink to wet the waxing rags and wax the floors -- on our hands and knees -- in the morning prior to shower and breakfast. Never quite got all the wax residue in the shower. My hands consistently smelled like wax at breakfast the first two years at FUMA's junior school.

I remember my first can of Bowling Alley wax back in 1982... I cracked that lid and made the mistake of breathing deeply immediately after.... I had to go see Mrs Crockett...

Well I'm glad you didn't say Bayer Asprin or Tylenol?
I waxed for eight years...of course you've been to mediucal school. It's Coca-Cola for me and Johnsons wax. :roll:

Do you find yourself noticing a nicely shined floor?
My son is currently a cadet. He comments fairly often on a nicely shined floor.