The Billy & Willy Story

Maybe it was our conflicting personalities or being in the same classes. Possibly the fact that we always had a lot to talk about. Regardless, hanging out with Billy was fun. 

During our last two years, we partied and went to school dances and even wound up dating the same girl – but I took her to the Senior prom. He was with me when I lost my Senior ring at Island Beach State   Park in May 57. It was brand new. Luckily, someone found it that September and, thank God, I got it back. 

Well, you know how time flies cause all of a sudden it was June 58, and we were graduating. To celebrate, we wound up buying a 1955 Chevy Belair Convertible for $400.00. We drove it all summer long from Jersey City to Ridgefield and down the shore as well. At the end of summer, we sold the car to one of his friends in Ridgefield for that same $400.00. A great business deal for sure!!! Then, Billy left for Canisuis in Buffalo on a basketball scholarship, and I went to NCE in Newark to learn how to be an engineer.    

 Our 58 guys always filled the library and PREP made it even more enjoyable by offering us sandwiches, pizza, liquid refreshments and cool PREP mugs. Still have those mugs.  

As the years passed, the PREP phonathon became a social adventure that readily created more friends. Although we were told to keep the chatter down, phone discussions sometimes became half hour story sharing episodes. The class of ‘58 kept this library populated, we raised more dollars, and I easily re-established my friendship with Billy Kretzer even though he lived in Buffalo.  

As the 80’s flew by, those library discussions between Billy & Willy widened and became personal phone calls. We discovered that we both liked Florida and would love to be down there.    

 There was this Sunday Magazine called Parade and for a few weeks in the summer of ‘89 there was an article about the fastest growing areas in the U.S. – A top ten list. Then, in one week of the series, six of the ten areas listed were in Southwest Florida.  

Summer ‘89 was ending, we decided to go see Florida together and to bring our checkbooks (which no one knew about). 

Towards the end of September ‘89, Billy drove from Buffalo to New Jersey, picked me up and we drove 21 straight hours to Ft. Myers Beach, Florida. 

The Billy & Willy duo now co-owned a piece of Florida sunshine, our second business enterprise.  

It was then that I called Gloria to tell her that she also owned some Florida sunshine. Of course, it took our first trip to the condo ten months later for her to get rid of her skepticism. In 1998, I purchased Billy’s share as he and his wife Kathy purchased a 3-bedroom home near a golf course. 

Both Billy & I have been hanging out in Florida now for over 3 decades. As we age, I wonder if Billy will remember this story as I described it. Memories do falter. But we will always have the Kathy Kretzer / Gloria Wilczynski duo to continually correct us. And, as I look back, it’s been a great run and a fantastic relationship – still going strong. 

AND ALL BECAUSE OF THE PREP PHONATHON!!!