Wonder if anyone can help me get a "human interest" message to Bette.

My daughter is due to have our first grand-daughter any day (her due
date was 10/24) and this is an interesting story.

If Bette Midler would call her, or email her, it would be just too much!

Thanx,

Jim Bannon
Account Manager
The Countertop Factory
1010 West Republic Drive
Units 1 and 2
Addison, IL 60101
Mobile: 630-631-9806
EFax: 815-261-5980
HQ Phone: 630-458-0474
Home Office: 815-759-1314
Email: jbannon@...
Web: www.thecountertopfactory.com

Here is the story
================
An Untold Story….

Bette Midler's "Bet" is now starting The Second Generation.
I thought she might like to know about an upcoming birth of her ALMOST
namesake .... As she'll certainly get a smile out of it.

If you can get this note to Bette, you'll make her day!
=========================================
The lovely Miss M will remember where she was during the evening of the
Blizzard of '78. I know, I was with her.

We made a "bet". And now my daughter is expecting a baby on October
24th, although her name is not Bette, nor will her daughter's be.

Here is the story…

Both Bette and I were caught in a blizzard on a Thursday night during
the last week in January, 1978.

I recognized Bette from across the room in the motel bar/restaurant and
approached her to ask if she was going to sing for the 25 of us in the
bar of the motel. To say her expression in reply was less than warm
and fuzzy would have been a very kind way of describing it <grin>.
Yes, we do know Bette!

I expressed regret that her concert at the Front Row was snowed out,
but stated we all were dealing with frustration and I had a wife who
was 9 months pregnant and due anytime, but I was not treating people
like...[explicative deleted].

Note: The highways were closed - preventing me from getting from
Cleveland where we were snowed in together to Cincinnati, my home.

Bette asked me if that was true. I said, "Yes".
She said, "I'll make you a bet. Name your daughter Bette, and I'll
sing."

Being the salesman that I was/am I responded.... "If my wife has a girl
(first requirement), tonight (second requirement), I'll name her Bette."

She said, "Fair Enough!"

And true to her word, Bette [and her Oreos] put on a full concert for
us stranded souls in the bar. What a wonderful gesture!

Bette, I, and the organ player stayed up until 3:00 am reminiscing
about some of the old clubs we both played in as I was a struggling
sax player during those years, whose band in the late 60's /early 70's
was just trying to get a break.

I always remembered that evening fondly and certainly got to see a
different Bette than the one who was gruff to a stranger approaching
her. She actually was a very warm, caring, and interesting person.

Of course, as her fame grew, I repeated this story to a number of folks
over the years.

Oh, my daughter's name….you ask?
Well, my wife did not deliver that night. She actually had to be
induced and delivered a baby girl on February 3, 1978. We named her
Jayme Susan Bannon. The "bet" was off but my memory of our wager made
me smile many times over the years.

FAST FORWARD…. It is now 1996, and Bette is scheduled to appear as
Blossom Music Center in Akron, where we were living at the time. I
asked my daughter, Jayme, to try to contact Bette or her agent - and
introduce herself, telling the "Story".

My one disappointment in my daughter who has been such a strong woman -
independent and accomplished - was that she did not take action on my
suggestion. I told her, Bette wouldn't remember me from Adam, but she
certainly would remember that night, and if reminded might possibly
remember the "Bet". It would be neat if Jayme said, "I am the baby
girl that you were betting on 18 years ago!"

Of course, I thought this might give Jayme the chance to speak briefly
with Bette and possibly even get backstage for a moment so they could
laugh together about the crazy way things turn out in life. But, alas,
Jayme never made the attempt to contact Bette.

I won't bore you with the tremendous accomplishments Jayme has made in
her 30 years. She is a triathelete, won a full ride scholarship to
Northeastern, and went through 18 years of school with all A's except
for a single "B". She is now a Physical Therapist living in Golden
Colorado and she and her husband are expecting a baby girl on October
24th. Although they will probably not name their baby Bette, I am once
again remembering Bette's kindness at this moment, as I listen to her
music - and so thought I would just make the effort to try to get this
THANK YOU and THINKING OF YOU note off to her. I could not find an
email address, but did find some fax numbers that may work.

If Bette reads this, I am sure she will smile. Then, it will make my
day.

If Bette wants to contact Jayme, that would actually BLOW JAYME AWAY,
so here is Jayme's contact information:

Jayme Bannon-Brindle
1717 East Street
Golden, CO 80401
jbannon12@...
303-898-8192


Me, I am just a loving father and life-long Bette Midler fan,

Jim Bannon
jimbannon@...