A brief introduction:
My name is Paul Howley, owner
of the Eisner Award winning pop culture collector’s store known as “That’s
Entertainment” in Worcester, Massachusetts and a second store in Fitchburg,
Massachusetts. Some people have called me the “luckiest man in the comic book
business.” (I’m not) My stores have been around for over thirty years and it’s
been a long and interesting combination of events and people that have brought
these stores to this current place. It is not my intent to boast or brag about
my store or my life. I just want to tell you my story. In many instances, my
wife remembers things a little differently, but this is the truth as I remember
it.
The current cast of
characters:
Paul Howley: age 48
Mal Howley: age 48
Adam Howley: my son, age 21
Cassy Howley: my daughter,
age 18
MY LIFE WITH COMIC BOOKS: THE
HISTORY OF A COMIC SHOP: Part #205
So, we’re at my daughter’s high school
graduation (and I’m about to be the invited speaker) and she’s just finished
introducing me as “…and my father, Doctor Paul Howley.” There are hundreds of
guests in the audience who’ve never met me before and know nothing about me so
I’ve got let them know I’m NOT a doctor. Here’s the message:
Interesting footnote:
The next year, Cassy and I attended the
local public high school graduation and the speaker explained to the students
that although high school graduation is an important event in their lives, it
will seem less and less important as time goes by. The students will move on to
college, full-time employment, military service, or they could begin to raise a
family. In fact, he continued, although you might remember some of the speech
you heard, you probably won’t even remember who spoke at your graduation. As we
were walking out of the auditorium, Cassy said, “He’s right! I don’t even
remember who spoke at MY graduation last year.”
REALLY Cassy?!!
