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At PayLess, Michael Olson went from his position as cashier in the automotive department to the responsibility of working the “back wall” displaying the store’s soap and paper products. He was soon talking about becoming a management trainee and his future with PayLess, and he and his wife Ardis rented a cozy two-bedroom home in Fremont. But two episodes during that period made Ardis wonder just what that future was.
One night early in 1978 she was awakened suddenly by the terror of a strange dream. In the dream she had seen Michael lying peacefully in a casket. Two months later, they were driving down the Nimitz Freeway and Ardis was holding Amy in her arms when, out of the blue, Michael began, “If something happens to me, you need to teach Amy to sew.” “Michael,” she objected, “nothing’s going to happen. Why are you saying this?” “If something happens to me some day,” he added, “you need to teach Amy how to sew.” |
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Billy Baumgartner had an endearing cautiousness about life, as if he did not want to do anything impulsive or irresponsible. He saved every dollar he made at odd jobs.
It was after Billy’s birthday in October that the family offered to take him anywhere he wanted to go. “I wanna go down Broadway,” he said immediately. Once the cradle of the Beat Generation, Broadway in San Francisco had become a neon glitter of bars and strip joints. It was the gaudy opposite of Billy Baumgartner’s simple, shy life. Jokingly the family tagged him “Broadway Bill.” Billy proudly reported to the family that he had gotten hired by PayLess to work as a part-time cashier and stock clerk during the Christmas season. Broadway Bill proved his worth so quickly that in a matter of weeks they considered him responsible enough to be part of the closing crew that emptied the registers and took the money up to the accounting room. He was proud of the responsibility and came home and told his mother Copie that they didn’t just pick anybody to do it. |
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At Hillsdale High School in San Mateo, Tracy Anderson was a free spirit who sat on the morning school bus occasionally wearing a stove pipe hat. On Saturdays, he and his little brother Todd would sail the waterway in Foster City. Tracy’s spontaneity and free spirit were perfectly suited for the vagaries of the wind. He sailed effortlessly with his mind as much on the clouds and the sun as the maneuvering of his boat, “That Kid.”
In Fall 1978, he got his license and began his junior year at Hillsdale. In November, PayLess began hiring part time help for the Christmas holidays, and Tracy took a job as a stock boy and courtesy clerk. One night early in January of 1979, he came home with a deep disappointment. “The Christmas shopping rush is over. They’re gonna be cutting back at PayLess now. I’ll probably have to look for another job.” For a week, he wore a long face around the house. But a few days later he came home with the news. “They’re gonna keep three people from the Christmas help.” His face was beaming. “I’m one of them!” |
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