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This charming poem of remembrance is by Marjorie Hyman, long time summer resident of Southampton Village. Anyone that has ever visited the Southampton Post Office has to have wondered about the story of Bee Bee, as his tombstone is prominently located at the entrance. At last, context is provided by Marjorie.
Poem by Margorie A. Hyman
BEE BEE, A SHAGGY DOG
Sometime in the mid 1960’s John started
a chain of resort area radio stations
The first one being in Southampton.
To make it happen
He required a first rate creative staff
but doing this on a shoestring budget
meant he could only offer minimal wages,
A trio of talented, unemployed friends
instantly came to mind
All had prematurely retired
after suffering heart attacks
and left the hectic paced city
for the bucolic life of the Hamptons.
Bored and Restless
but with plenty of Digitalis on hand
and with plenty of Heart to spare,
they jumped at the chance
responding
“We would have done it for nothing “
Roger, being the first to sign on,
was honored by John
naming the station call letters
WWRJ
representing Roger and John
Roger
applied his Juilliard background
and special talents
honed as music programmer for WQXR
making WWRJ
the SOUND of the Hamptons
Peter
a Briish born unemployed actor
whose Tony accent
gave a touch of class
to the reading of the local and world news
made WWRJ
the VOICE of the Hamptons
Jim
tailored his advertising talents
to the tastes of the Country Club
and Horse Show sets
which appealed equally to the
Stop and Shop crowd
making WWRJ
the STYLE of the Hamptons
The Station thrived
and Everyone thrived
Yet John was always looking
for that something more
It occurred to him one day
that the news segment needed a lift
and he instituted a daily program
called “ Good News “
People loved it
and flooded the station with stories
for what they called the “Happy Hour”
—
Some years later in 1974
Jimmy a young summer intern
asked for that assignment .
The story
he chose and reported on that day,
was about
a “ Shaggy Dog”
—
The story began in 1964
when the Etheridge family
who lived on Windmill Lane
bought a fluffy lovable puppy
and named him BeeBee
BeeBee didn’t have a pedigree
but no matter
What he had was far more important.
He had
A Heart overflowing with Love
and a Coat of many colors
growing helter skelter in so many directions
that no amount of currying could tame it.
Dogs ran free in sleepy Southampton at the time
and Bee Bee, being no different
would dart out the front door every morning
and head for his favorite spot,
the little Post Office on Nugent Street .
There The local Baptist Minister
Pastor Brown,
moonlighted as the Mailman.
They soon became best friends
and every day, except for Sundays ,
when Pastor Brown tended his flock,
Bee Bee was at his side.
walking the route. delivering the mail
Sundays
Bee Bee on his day off,
had time to spend with family
and drown them under a sea
of his ardent wet kisses and puppy love..
And so it went for 10 years
“neither snow nor sleet
could ever deter him
from his daily rounds”.
But one morning in 1974
Bee Bee failed to show up
to deliver the mail
He had moved on
to that
Other Post Office in the Sky .
He was laid to rest 3 days later
with the well attended and
well earned rites and dignity appertaining
at the little Post Office on Nugent Street.
Pastor Brown spoke warmly of Bee Bee
calling him a Faithful and Loyal Public Servant
His stone marker reads
“Here lies
Bee Bee
A Shaggy Dog “
—
The young intern reported the story
on the “Good News” segment that day.
Somehow it went viral ,
So Viral
that It reached the ears of
The President of the United States
Gerald Ford
who extended
an invitation to the young reporter
to visit the White House
and receive an *Award
both of which he graciously accepted
—
*Jimmy
a STAR on his first assignment
made WWRJ
the PRIDE of the Hamptons
—
In 2009
the population of Southampton had increased
and the Little Post Office on Nugent Street
couldn’t handle the tremendous influx of mail
A larger one was built on North Sea Road ,
down the road from Lynch’s Garden Center
and across the street from Schmidts Market
It was unanimously Decreed
by the Mayor, local Officials and Townspeople
that
Bee Bees remains be moved to the new location.
Today in 2021
one might still see
a flower from Lynch’s Garden Center
or a goodie treat from Schmidts Market
placed on the little stone marker
in remembrance of
Bee Bee
A Shaggy Dog
===============
Footnotes
Thanks to
My son Peter
and
Jeannie Johnson
who reminded me
of things I forgot