"Oh What A Thrill ..."

Jon and I became quite two peas in a pod during the 1991-92 college year. Although we ended up being close friends, I was initially hesitant. We both lived on a co-ed floor in the college dorms.

One of my earliest memories of Jon was that of him rebuilding an entire motorcycle engine in his dorm room. He tried to be very careful not to damage the floor by placing a tarp on the ground. When the overhaul was complete, I helped him carry the engine back outside. We returned, with horror, to see an oil trail had inadvertently marked a drip path from his door, to the main exit. After debating our options, we did the only ethical choice we could come up with. We made sure that oil was dripped extensively up and down the hall of the dorm. Oil trails were intentionally placed in front of each dorm room (including the female occupants). No one would be able to identify from where the oil originated.

This is one of several examples that I could share. I fear that many of the other stories would incriminate me just as much as Jon. Because of this, I will not comment.

Some random thoughts that I remember about Jon include the following:
1. Jon would wear Obsession for Men Cologne to each dance.
2. Jon went through the phase in which he wore one of those braided belts. The excess end of the belt would always be folded and left dangling.
3. Jon once found a ‘girly’ magazine at work. He placed the magazine under my pillow. BIG SURPRISE WHEN I GOT HOME!
4. Jon and I were officiating during a singles ward Temple baptism night. A peculiar name caught us off guard, and we could not stop from chuckling. Needless to say, the Spirit was GONE!
5. Jon and I once ate at the Beverly Hills Hard Rock Café after attending a temple session at the LA temple.
6. Jon once made up lyrics to the Mavericks song Oh What a Thrill. I haven’t forgotten them, but you’ll have to ask him if you want to hear them.
7. Jon went through a Cause and Effect (music group) phase.
8. Jon once sang the entire Men without Hats album, Pop Goes the World while driving home from a wedding reception in Kanosh, Utah.
9. Sometimes, by Erasure. No further comment.
10. Playing pool in the student union after supper.
11. Jon once drove to Virgin, Utah to stock a co-worker. In all fairness, he went on this mission as a favor to me.
12. Jon and I once kidnapped our boss. We took her to the movies, reverse polygamy style.

Happy Birthday Jon!! I hope the next forty are even better the past forty.

Dagan Leavitt