Mikey in the First Person

Just the other day, I received a form letter masquerading as a personalized letter from one of my one and only Canadian stained glass suppliers. The supplier even said that it was a privilege to have me as a client. 
I was touched. 
The pseudo-personalized touch actually affected me. 
So much so that I wanted to send doilies and scented candles back as a thank you. 
But I held myself back. 
You see, I had only met the man once in the past five or so years. I wasn't sure if he was a doily and scented candles kind of guy. 
In other words, I had a business relationship with this person, yet I didn't even know him.
And he for sure didn't know me. 
Bill Dick's daughter came by the other day, which made me reflect on how we conducted business when he was around.
Many of you wouldn't recognize this name. 
It's a shame. 
You see it's because of Bill Dick that many of you are reading this today. It's because of Bill Dick that stained glass became an industry and a popular vocation for some, a hobby for others.
It's because of Bill Dick that I started Fantasy In Glass.
For many of us, our first exposure to him was through the stained glass store he opened known as Renaissance Glass back in the 1970's. Later it was through his opening of a stained glass wholesaler, which carries on today under a different owner.

I knew Bill Dick wasn't a doily and scented candle kind of guy. 

Because I knew him.

You see, we worked at our relationship and understood that that made for good business.

And a mutual respect that I still miss today...