THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES by Roberta C.M. DeCaprio

My guest today is my dear friend Roberta who has a wonderful true story to share. Since this is Easter weekend, a time when family and friends get together, I thought this story would touch many hearts as it has mine. Easter reminds us of the living Lord, what He did for His children. Roberta's story also tells what a father did for his child. Roberta and I met through RWA and have been true soul sisters.

THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES by Roberta C.M. DeCaprio

When I was little I always watched THE BOB HOPE SHOW. My favorite part was when he sang "Thanks For The Memories."  I never realized the impact of what that song meant until I lost my father, on June 28th, 2009. Now, all I have . . . and all I will ever have . . . to keep him alive are memories. One that especially stands out occurred when I was seven.

My father took me to the old Menands Stadium to see, live, Lassie and The Lone Ranger (actor, Clayton Moore). Our seats were way up in the bleachers. When Clayton began to give out autographs, I was unable to make it down to him on time. Due to a birth injury, I was left with a walking disability. If my father had tried to carry me down all those steps in such a maddening crowd, it would have been dangerous.

Loving the Old West, I was disappointed. My favorite show was The Lone Ranger, and my father knew this all to well, thus the reason why we were at the stadium that day.

As fate would have it, Clayton Moore's limo (headed to the airport), just happened to be traveling ahead of our car on the highway. My father blasted the horn until the limo driver pulled over. My father ran to the side of the vehicle, explained the situation, and asked for an autograph for his little girl.

Clayton Moore, the good and kind man he was, told my father to bring me to his limo. My dad ran back to fetch me, and before I knew it, I was sitting next to The Lone Ranger. Through the eyeholes of his mask two very blue, sincere orbs looked down at me as he spoke. Then he reached down to the holster strapped around his waist and pulled from it a silver bullet. Handing it to me, he said, "You will always be my kemosabi.” I’d become the Lone Ranger’s friend! Forever!

Thirty-five years later Clayton Moore came into town again as The Lone Ranger to promote a loan program for a local bank. I called a local news channel, explaining to them my first encounter with him and the fact that I still had the silver bullet. They arranged a reunion between Clayton and me, featuring the story. To my pleasant surprise, Clayton remembered me.

From watching The Lone Ranger, I also grew to love Tonto's character, as it was the only show depicting Indians as the intelligent and resourceful people they really are. Years later, my research on Native Americans showed me how unfair they were treated by the white man. My first historical novel, THE GOLDEN LADY, was a tribute to the Western Apaches.

My father, who was my number one fan and supporter of my writing, never lived to see the novel published. He died three months before its release. But he did read the manuscript. And I’ll always remember what he said afterwards: "Tonto would be proud."


Guest Bio: Roberta C.M. DeCaprio is a native of Schenectady, N.Y. and a freelance writer of all genres in romance and woman’s mainstream fiction. A prior “sexuality” columnist for A.B.L.E.D. WOMEN magazine, and former Assistant Editor for INDEPENDENCE TODAY newspaper. Roberta has insight into the problems other physically challenged people face due to living herself with a walking impairment.

     She is the author of ONCE UPON A SONNET, a self-published book of poems, and has won awards for her poetry, becoming published in several anthologies. Her first paranormal romantic suspense, COMA COAST, was released October 1^st, 2006 by Wings Press, followed by THE VANITY, A RIVER OF ORANGE (The Wild Rose Press), THE GOLDEN LADY, and ONE PERFECT FLOWER. A ROSE IN AMBER is set to be released July 8^th, 2011. Her newest mainstream paranormal entitled FAMILY SECRETS was released into second edition printing from The Z Group/ZLS Publishers and is now entitled AN ALTERED JOURNEY.

     A graduate of the Writers Digest School and Cornell Cooperative Extension, she is a member of the Romance Writers of America and RWA’s Futuristic, Fantasy and Paranormal special interest group.

     A mother, and grandmother of two, Roberta shares her upstate NY home with many dearly loved pets and her artist husband. To read excerpts from Roberta’s books log on to: www.robertadecaprio.com.