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Jack Dreyfus was one of the wealthiest men in America during the Nixon era, and has a photo of himself with Nixon in the Oval Office, just the two of them; I've seen it, and you won't believe how.
Forty years ago or so, George Whittell sold the Thunderbird Lodge to Jack, and Jack owned it for 30 years or so before selling it to whomever owns it now, and I wish I could tell you who owns it now, but I don't think the oldest man in the world couldn't figure that out. All I know is, Bill Watson is running the place now and doing a great job of it.
Jack Dreyfus spent one night at the Thunderbird over those many years, and it saddens me to think he was too busy making money to relax for even a week on the east shore of the Lake of the Sky. Anyone who has spent a summer's evening at Thunderbird will share that sentiment I'm sure.
Shari Chase arranged the sale of the Thunderbird a decade or so ago, and in the doing, discovered that Jack Dreyfus was a huge Mark Twain fan.
Well, Shari's just a kind of fun-loving person to concoct a scheme sure to provide an unsuspecting friend with a surprise, so she asked me to fly back to Manhattan as the Ghost of Mark Twain, and take Jack to lunch, which I was happy to do.
It was all set up with his secretary, and I arrived just before noon to walk into Jack's office unannounced. I had done this sort of thing before with the governor of Nevada, but not a private citizen, so I was a little anxious about how I might be received. Nevertheless, I marched into his office in the white suit and announced, "Put your coat on, Jack, we're going to lunch!"
Jack Dreyfus rose from his chair and looked at me like he had seen an apparition. His eyes danced with merriment as he approached me, clasped my hand, and pumped it like an oil well.
We went to the Tavern on the Green there in the park and I was pleasantly surprised at how much he really knew about Mark Twain. I can't tell you how relieved I was, because if he had started talking about high finance it would have been the shortest lunch on record.
We wandered aimlessly like Tom & Huck for the balance of the afternoon before ending up at his apartment where he built a fire and poured some cognac.
For a satisfying hour or so we sat with our feet up on the bricks, sipping Courvoisier and talking about Lake Tahoe. What made it even more gratifying to me was the fact that Jack was able to finish several of my sentences, causing me to glance at him with admiration.
It was one of the most rewarding evenings I've experienced in 20 years as the Ghost of Mark Twain, and I shall never be able to think upon it without a smile. I need to remember to thank Shari Chase for divining that occasion when I see her next. She's a very gracious lady.
Also, while I'm thinking about thanking people, I want to personally thank Bill Clinton today for the $50 million he and Al Gore managed to get allocated 10 years ago to keep Lake Tahoe blue. But I'm afraid I'll just have to flash my belt buckle from the Tahoe Queen as we enter Emerald Bay...
McAvoy Layne lives in Incline Village and visits schools throughout Nevada as the ghost of Mark Twain.
Forty years ago or so, George Whittell sold the Thunderbird Lodge to Jack, and Jack owned it for 30 years or so before selling it to whomever owns it now, and I wish I could tell you who owns it now, but I don't think the oldest man in the world couldn't figure that out. All I know is, Bill Watson is running the place now and doing a great job of it.
Jack Dreyfus spent one night at the Thunderbird over those many years, and it saddens me to think he was too busy making money to relax for even a week on the east shore of the Lake of the Sky. Anyone who has spent a summer's evening at Thunderbird will share that sentiment I'm sure.
Shari Chase arranged the sale of the Thunderbird a decade or so ago, and in the doing, discovered that Jack Dreyfus was a huge Mark Twain fan.
Well, Shari's just a kind of fun-loving person to concoct a scheme sure to provide an unsuspecting friend with a surprise, so she asked me to fly back to Manhattan as the Ghost of Mark Twain, and take Jack to lunch, which I was happy to do.
It was all set up with his secretary, and I arrived just before noon to walk into Jack's office unannounced. I had done this sort of thing before with the governor of Nevada, but not a private citizen, so I was a little anxious about how I might be received. Nevertheless, I marched into his office in the white suit and announced, "Put your coat on, Jack, we're going to lunch!"
Jack Dreyfus rose from his chair and looked at me like he had seen an apparition. His eyes danced with merriment as he approached me, clasped my hand, and pumped it like an oil well.
We went to the Tavern on the Green there in the park and I was pleasantly surprised at how much he really knew about Mark Twain. I can't tell you how relieved I was, because if he had started talking about high finance it would have been the shortest lunch on record.
We wandered aimlessly like Tom & Huck for the balance of the afternoon before ending up at his apartment where he built a fire and poured some cognac.
For a satisfying hour or so we sat with our feet up on the bricks, sipping Courvoisier and talking about Lake Tahoe. What made it even more gratifying to me was the fact that Jack was able to finish several of my sentences, causing me to glance at him with admiration.
It was one of the most rewarding evenings I've experienced in 20 years as the Ghost of Mark Twain, and I shall never be able to think upon it without a smile. I need to remember to thank Shari Chase for divining that occasion when I see her next. She's a very gracious lady.
Also, while I'm thinking about thanking people, I want to personally thank Bill Clinton today for the $50 million he and Al Gore managed to get allocated 10 years ago to keep Lake Tahoe blue. But I'm afraid I'll just have to flash my belt buckle from the Tahoe Queen as we enter Emerald Bay...
McAvoy Layne lives in Incline Village and visits schools throughout Nevada as the ghost of Mark Twain.
