Fred Schulz Leaves Opera House To Dedicate Time To The Barge

TODAY WAS FRED SCHULZ'S LAST DAY AS INTERIM MANAGER OF THE GRAVENHURST OPERA HOUSE

ON TO MANAGE THE "MUSIC ON THE BARGE"

     ONE DAY, SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE, FRED AND I MIGHT BE FOUND, BY THE ROVING REPORTER, SITTING TOGETHER IN THE NURSING HOME, ENJOYING OUR AFTERNOON PUDDING, AND A GAME OF CONTACT-CROKINOLE, LAUGHING ABOUT THE EVENTS OF A FEW MONTHS, BACK IN THE SPRING OF 2013. THAT'S HOW OLD FARTS REFERENCE THEIR PAST….AT LEAST WHAT THEY CAN REMEMBER OF IT, AND IN THIS CASE, THERE'S A LOT HE'D LIKE TO FORGET. ME TOO! HE CAN'T LAUGH AT IT RIGHT NOW. IT'S TOO FRESH, AND THE WHIRLWIND OF ACTIVITY, HAS WORN HIM OUT A LITTLE. HE WON'T ADMIT IT, BUT YOU CAN SEE IT ANYWAY. IF HE'D ALLOW HIMSELF THE PRIVILEGE, HE'D PROBABLY SLEEP FOR A WEEK. AFTER TWO AND A HALF MONTHS AS THE INTRIM MANAGER, OF THE GRAVENHURST OPERA HOUSE, EVEN BY HIS OWN ADMISSION, HE'S A CHANGED MAN. MORE THAN ANYTHING, HE'S BEWILDERED ABOUT THE WAY IT ALL BEGAN, AND THE WAY IT ENDED. HE'S CERTAIN WHY IT HAD TO END, BUT UNRESOLVED WHY HE DIDN'T SEE WHAT WAS COMING DOWN THE TRACKS, BEFORE HE MADE HIS AGREEMENT WITH THE TOWN IN THE FIRST PLACE.

     AS WITH ANY SMALL TOWN, THERE ARE SMALL TOWN RUMORS ABOUT EVERYTHING NEWSWORTHY…..AND NOT SO MUCH. SO TO QUELL A FEW BEFORE THEY START TO ROOT, NO, FRED SCHULZ HAS NOT JOINED THE FRENCH FOREIGN LEGION, IN A BID TO LOSE HIS IDENTITY. HE WON'T BE JOINING THE CIRCUS AS THE HUMAN CANNON BALL, AND HE HASN'T BEEN DRAFTED TO PLAY NET FOR THE TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS. HE WASN'T FIRED, GIVEN A LEAVE OF ABSENCE, OR DEMOTED TO THE ROLE OF MANAGER OF THE BARGE. HE DOESN'T CONSIDER THAT A DEMOTION, BUT THIS IS ONE OF THE NUMBER ONE REASONS, HE HAD TO LEAVE THE OPERA HOUSE. THE TIME TO DEVOTE TO THE BARGE WOULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY ENCUMBERED. HE WOULD HAVE HAD TO THROW A COT, IN HIS OPERA HOUSE OFFICE, TO MEET THE TIME REQUIREMENTS OF THE NEW THEATRE PROJECT, SLATED FOR THIS SUMMER. MY BOYS, ANDREW AND ROBERT, RESIGNED FROM THE OPERA HOUSE, SEVERAL WEEKS EARLIER, FOR PRECISELY THE SAME REASON. IN THEIR CASE, THEY HAVE OTHER FREELANCE COMMITMENTS AND A STORE TO OPERATE. FOR SOME REASON, COUNCIL COULDN'T SEE THE FOREST FOR THE TREES, OR WHATEVER, AND THEY DIDN'T THINK IT WAS IMPERATIVE TO GET TO THE ROOT CAUSE. THEY WILL, DOWN THE ROAD. THAT IS FOR SURE. 

     WE CURRIES HAVE A LOT OF RESPECT FOR FRED SCHULZ. WE KNOW HIS WORK ETHIC. HE PUTS US TO SHAME. HIS DAY STARTS BEFORE THE NEIGHBORHOOD ROOSTER GETS UP. AS A MANAGER, WELL, VERY FEW PEOPLE IN OUR TOWN TODAY, KNOW JUST HOW PROFICIENT THE MAN IS…..AND HOW DETERMINED HE IS TO GET IT RIGHT. SO MUCH SO, IN FACT, THAT HE IS NOT ALL THAT EASY TO GET ALONG WITH, UNLESS YOU'RE WILLING TO DOT THE "i's" AND CROSS THE "t's" AS A MATTER OF ROUTINE. FRED'S LIKE THIS, EVEN IF HE'S HAVING A YARD SALE, A PHOTO SHOOT, MANAGING THE BARGE, AT ROTARY GULL LAKE PARK, OR ANYTHING ELSE HE PUTS HIS HAND TO, FOR THE GOOD LIFE WE ENJOY IN OUR LITTLE TOWN. "MUSIC ON THE BARGE," IS HIS FONDEST PRE-OCCUPATION, AND HAS BEEN FOR MORE THAN FORTY YEARS OF INVOLVEMENT. HE HAS HAD THE SUPPORT OF MANY MAYORS AND MANY COUNCILLORS, OVER MORE THAN FOUR DECADES, BECAUSE THEY KNOW HE CAN BRING IT ALL TOGETHER……WHEN THEY CAN'T…..OR DON'T WANT TO BE BOTHERED. HE'S ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE YOU MEET IN LIFE, WHO IS SELF ASSURED TO YOU, AND ANYONE HE'S DOING BUSINESS WITH, AT THE TIME, BUT A RATHER MEEK AND MILD INDIVIDUAL ON HOME TURF…..HIS CASTLE, WHERE HE ESCAPES HIS PUBLIC LIFE, FOR A LITTLE QUALITY TIME WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY.

     FRED HAS ENDURED QUITE A FEW DISAPPOINTMENTS THIS PAST YEAR, AND THIS ISN'T THE FORUM TO OFFER THEM FOR PUBLIC SCRUTINY. SUFFICE TO SAY, HE SEES THINGS A LOT DIFFERENTLY TODAY, THAN HE DID A FEW MONTHS AGO. VERY FEW PEOPLE WOULD KNOW THIS…….BECAUSE IF YOU KNOW HIM AT ALL, YOU'D REALIZE HE DOESN'T BLAME THE WORLD FOR HIS ISSUES, AND ALWAYS INSISTS ON HAVING A "PLAN B," TO GO WITH EVERY "PLAN A," JUST IN CASE. HE'S OBSESSIVE ABOUT ORDER AND ORGANIZATION. THE FACT THIS WAS HIS LAST DAY AS INTERIM MANAGER OF THE OPERA HOUSE, IS SAD FOR ALL OF US, WHO HAD HOPED HE WAS GOING TO BE THERE, BROOM IN HAND (HE ROUTINELY SWEPT THE FRONT SQUARE, OF THE BUILDING, EVEN THOUGH IT WASN'T PART OF HIS EMPLOYMENT), MEETING PATRONS AT THE FRONT DOOR, AND GREETING EVERYONE WITH THAT HUSKY, FAMILIAR HANDSHAKE WE WERE ALL ACCUSTOMED……..FOR LIFE. HONESTLY, WE EXPECTED HE'D BE THERE FOREVER. FRED'S UPSET OF COURSE, THAT IT DIDN'T WORK OUT, BUT HE HAS TOO MANY OTHER IRONS IN THE FIRE, TO DILLY DALLY. ESPECIALLY WITH PROJECTS (ENTERTAINMENT) HE HAD PLANNED FOR, BUT COULDN'T HOPE TO INITIATE, WITH THE PREVAILING SITUATION AT THE OPERA HOUSE. A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW TOO MUCH ABOUT HIS MANAGEMENT STYLE, BUT LET ME USE AN ANALOGY, TO PAINT A CLEARER PORTRAIT. I'LL HAVE TO DIP INTO MY HOCKEY ARCHIVES FOR THIS COMPARISON.

     WHEN DETROIT RED WING COACH, SID ABEL, BEGAN LOOKING AT AN OUTSTANDING ROOKIE GOALTENDER, FROM BRACEBRIDGE, ONTARIO, BACK IN THE MID 1960'S, HE WAS FACED WITH A SMALL BUT SIGNIFICANT DILEMMA. ROGER CROZIER, KNOWN AS THE "ARTFUL DODGER," WHEN HE PLAYED NET, WAS A SPRAWLING, FLOPPING, SLIDING, "ANYTHING GOES" GOALTENDER. ABEL WANTED TO HAVE HIS ASSISTANT COACHES, REVAMP HIS STYE TO A MORE CONVENTIONAL MODEL, DISPLAYED BY A MAJORITY OF THE LEAGUE'S MOST SUCCESSFUL NETMINDERS AT THE TIME. ALTHOUGH THEY TRIED TO TAMPER, A TAD, THEY SOON HAD TO ADMIT, THAT TO CHANGE HIS STYLE, WORKED ON SINCE HIS MINOR HOCKEY DAYS, COULD ADVERSELY INFLUENCE HIS ABILITY TO STOP PUCKS, THE WAY HE HAD BEEN DEMONSTRATING, IN THE MINOR RANKS, AND ON TO THE NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE, THEY WERE NERVOUS OF THROWING THE KID OFF HIS GAME. THEY DECIDED THAT IF THE BRACEBRIDGE KID COULD DO IT HIS WAY, AND DETROIT COULD WIN GAMES BECAUSE OF HIS EFFORTS, THERE WAS NO REASON TO CHANGE A THING ABOUT THE WAY HE GUARDED THE NET. ROGER WENT ON TO BECOME A ROOKIE OF THE YEAR, WINNER OF THE CONN SMYTHE TROPY, AS THE PLAYOFFS MOST VALUABLE PLAYER, AND WAS ASKED TO JOIN AN ALL-STAR TEAM. THEY LET ROGER DO WHAT HE DID BEST. KEEP THE PUCK OUT OF THE NET. FRED IS UNCOMPROMISING WITH HIS STYLE, AND HE HAS BORROWED STRATEGIES FROM OTHER MANAGERS AND BUSINESS LEADERS HE HAS KNOWN IN THE PAST. HE ALWAYS GOT THE JOB DONE BY HIS STRICT STANDARD OF EFFICIENCY. EARLY TO RISE, LATE TO HIT THE SACK. AND OF COURSE, THE SEVEN DAY WORK WEEK. I SUPPOSE COUNCILLORS CAN BE FORGIVEN FOR NOT KNOWING JUST HOW MUCH TIME HE PUT IN, TO DO HIS JOB CORRECTLY.

     FRED IS MUCH THE SAME, AS THE YOUNG CROZIER WAS, AS A HOCKEY ACE. BUT AS OPPOSITES. THERE ARE THOSE WHO QUESTION HIS MANAGEMENT STYLE, AND HIS TIGHT, UNRELENTING, ORTHODOX WAY OF CONDUCTING BUSINESS. UNLIKE ROGER'S FREE-WHEELING STYLE IN THE NET, FRED IS METHODICAL, AND ALMOST SURGICAL ABOUT GETTING THE MANAGEMENT JOB DONE…..AND HIS CHORES CAUGHT UP. HE DOESN'T LIKE LOOSE ENDS, AND ALWAYS RETURNS PHONE CALLS AND EMAILS, AS IF THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF A BUSINESS DAY. HE'S OLD FASHIONED IN HIS APPROACH TO EVERYTHING, AND NEVER PUTS HIMSELF ABOVE THE COMMUNITY HE IS WORKING FOR, AND REPRESENTING EVERY HOUR OF EVERY DAY. THIS ISN'T AN ADVERTISEMENT FOR FRED SCHULZ, BUT IT'S WHAT YOU GET WHEN YOU HIRE THE GUY. EVERYTHING'S INCLUDED, AS WELL AS SWEEPING THE CENTRAL SQUARE. ROGER STUCK TO HIS STYLE BECAUSE IT WORKED FOR ALL CONCERNED. FRED WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO CHANGE HIS STYLE EITHER, BUT WHO CARES, IF HE'S GETTING THE JOB DONE?

     HE WALKED OUT THE DOOR OF THE OPERA HOUSE TODAY, WORRIED ABOUT ONE THING…….THAT FOLKS IN THIS TOWN, WILL THINK OF HIM AS A "QUITTER," BECAUSE HE FELT HE HAD TO LEAVE THIS LATEST GIG AT THE OPERA HOUSE. THE JOB HE WAS GIVEN, AS INTERIM MANAGER, AS ANALOGY, WAS LIKE BEING ENTERED IN THE HUNDRED METRE RACE IN THE OLYMPICS BUT BEING ASKED TO DO SO, HAVING LEGS AND ARMS BOUND, WHILE HAULING A BALL AND CHAIN BEHIND. NOT THAT FRED ISN'T WILLING TO GIVE EVERYTHING THE OLD COLLEGE TRY, BUT THERE WAS NO WAY, IN HIS MIND, HE COULD HANDLE THE DEMANDS OF OFFICE, AND STILL BRING THE PEOPLE OF GRAVENHURST, AND ITS FRIENDS, THE ANNUAL "MUSIC ON THE BARGE," SUMMER SERIES OF CONCERTS, AT ROTARY GULL LAKE PARK, BEGINNING IN SEVERAL WEEKS. HE HAD EXPRESSED HIS WORRIES ABOUT THIS OFTEN, IN THE PAST TWO MONTHS, AND WE HAD OFFERED HIM OUR SERVICES, TO FILL IN AS BARGE WORKERS, IF HE WAS DETAINED AT THE OPERA HOUSE, DUE TO A NEW THEATRE PROGRAM UPCOMING. ANDREW AND ROBERT HAVE WORKED WITH FRED AS TECHNICAL STAFF, AT THE BARGE, FOR THE PAST DECADE, WITH FRIENDS LUKE THOMPSON, AND JAMES LUCIABELLO. SUZANNE AND I SIT ON THE SHORE, EVERY CONCERT NIGHT, SO IT WAS WORKABLE FROM OUR POINT OF VIEW. ANDREW COULD HAVE FILLED IN AS MASTER OF CEREMONIES, TO HANDLE INTRODUCTIONS. NO PROBLEM. WELL, JUST ONE. AND IT'S A BIG ONE.

     FRED DOESN'T TAKE HIS COMMITMENT WITH THE "MUSIC ON THE BARGE," AT ALL LIGHTLY. EVEN THOUGH HE KNOWS FULL WELL, THAT WE COULD PUT THE SHOW ON, AS A MATTER OF ROUTINE, HE'S THE KIND OF "IN-YOUR-FACE" MANAGER, WHO CAN'T STAND TO BE APART FROM HIS RESPONSIBILITY. HE'S SUPPOSED TO STAND OUT ON THAT BARGE, EACH SUNDAY NIGHT, AND WELCOME HIS GUESTS TO GULL LAKE PARK. IT'S HIS MILESTONE EVENT. SO NO, HE COULDN'T DELEGATE THIS TO ANYONE ELSE, EXCEPT IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION. IT'S WHY HE WAS RIDING THE HORNS OF A DILEMMA, FOR THE PAST TWO MONTHS. HE FOUND HE COULDN'T DO BOTH ASSIGNMENTS, PHYSICALLY OR EMOTIONALLY. THE WORK LOAD WAS TOO HEAVY. HE MIGHT HAVE BEEN OKAY, BUT BY HIS OWN ADMISSION, HE'S NOT A "THEATRE" PERSON, AND FELT HE WAS HOLDING BACK THE TOWN'S CHANGE OF DIRECTION, BY BEING TOO OLD-SCHOOL, AS A CONCERT PROMOTER FIRST. IT'S HIS MAIN AREA OF EXPERTISE. THE NEW DEMANDS DIDN'T JIVE WITH HIS LEVEL OF EXPERTISE, AND HE KNEW FAILURE WAS IMMINENT…..ESPECIALLY IF HE HAD TO MAKE A DECISION, ON WHETHER TO BE ON DUTY AT THE OPERA HOUSE, OR BE TENDING "HIS BABY" AT THE BARGE, ON THOSE IMPORTANT SUNDAY NIGHTS. THERE WAS ONLY ONE CHOICE TO MAKE, WHEN ALL THE PONDERING AND DISSECTING OF THE JOBS WAS OVER; AND IT'S WHY HE DECIDED TO LEAVE THE OPERA HOUSE. IT WOULD HAVE KILLED HIM, TO LOSE HIS CONTINUITY AT GULL LAKE PARK, ON THOSE BEAUTIFUL SUMMER SUNDAYS, WITH THOUSANDS OF PATRONS OCCUPYING THE EMBANKMENT, ALONG THE SHORELINE OF THIS GORGEOUS URBAN PARK. HE HATES TO DISAPPOINT ANYONE…..ESPECIALLY SHOW-GOERS, WHO OFTEN TRAVEL LONG DISTANCES TO JOIN THE CONCERTS. MAYBE THIS IS HIS FAULT…..BEING TOO SERIOUS ABOUT HIS ASSIGNMENT. YET, AS HIS CLOSE FRIENDS, WE DON'T FEEL THIS WAY AT ALL, AND UNDERSTAND WHY HE HAD TO MOVE ON…..EVEN THOUGH, WE KNOW IT BREAKS HIS HEART, TO DEPART HIS DREAM JOB AT THE OPERA HOUSE…..ONE HE DID EXPECT TO REMAIN AT FOR MANY MORE YEARS.

     THERE ARE LOTS OF RUMORS CIRCULATING OUT THERE, AND SOME OF THESE ERRONEOUS TALES ARE HURTFUL AND DEMEANING, TO THIS CHARITABLE CHAP, WHO HAS NEVER LET THIS TOWN DOWN…..AND HE HAS THE CITIZENSHIP AWARDS TO PROVE IT. I HEARD A RUMOR, THAT SOMEONE CLOSE TO THE TOWN, HAD PASSED ON ONE SUCH RIDICULOUS STORY, THAT FRED HAD BEEN FIRED FROM THE OPERA HOUSE. IT'S JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS, I SUPPOSE, YOU CAN'T RUN AWAY FROM, AS A PUBLIC OFFICIAL. THE BIGGER YOU ARE, THE HARDER YOU FALL. WELL SIR, THIS WITHOUT DOUBT, IS A BIG FALL FOR FRED SCHULZ. A PAINFUL ONE. ALTHOUGH HE LEFT OF HIS OWN ACCORD, HE KNOWS THAT THE QUESTIONS AND RUMORS WILL BUILD FOR SOME TIME, HAUNTING HIM THROUGH THE COMING BARGE SEASON. HIS HOPE IS THAT THOSE WHO KNOW HIM WELL, WILL RECOGNIZE RUMORS FROM THE TRUTH, AND YOU HAVE JUST READ IT HERE….NOW. HE WOULD RATHER DO ONE JOB EXTREMELY WELL, THAN DO TWO JOBS ADEQUATELY.

     WE WERE GOING TO PULL AN HONOR GUARD FOR HIM TODAY, AFTER WORK, BUT WE WORRIED ABOUT HOW THAT WOULD BE PERCEIVED BY THE RUMOR MAKERS. BEST TO HAVE JUST LET FRED TAKE HIS TIME EXITING THE BUILDING, ONE LAST TIME, AS MANAGER……RESOLVING, STEP BY STEP, THAT IT WAS THE ONLY THING HE COULD HAVE DONE, UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES.

NOTE: FRED AND I WILL ONCE AGAIN BE TEAMING UP, TO OFFER MORE LOCALLY RESPONSIVE AND HISTORICALLY RELEVANT BLOGS, WITH HIS EXCEPTIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY TO LEAD THEM OFF EACH DAY……COMING SOON. ONCE HE CATCHES UP ON SOME REST AND RELAXATION.