Doughnuts in the Breakroom. On September 4, 1886, Geronimo surrendered. Most people do not realize that “Geronimo” was not “Geronimo’s” real name. The Apache warrior we know as “Geronimo” began life as Melvin Dooley in Middletown, New Jersey. His father wanted Melvin to follow in his footsteps and become a chestnut vendor, but from the time he was a small boy, all Melvin wanted to do when he grew up was to be a Native American and manage a casino. As a teenager, he practiced by living in the woods, eating roots and bugs, and trading the pelts of roadkill for wampum. After his applications had been rejected in turn by the Huron, the Seminoles, and the Lakota, Melvin learned of an opening with the Chiricahua Apaches in New Mexico and was overjoyed when he was awarded the position. After joining the band, he heard a fellow Apache holler "Geronimo!" (which is Chiricahua Apache for “Rip them a new one!”) during an attack, and adopted the battle cry as his Apache name. His wife and some of his closest friends continued to call him "Melvin" until his death, however. Although he never realized his dream of managing a casino, "Rip Them a New One" eventually prospered in the mayhem business and today is remembered as the greatest of all Apache warriors. Doughnuts in the breakroom. They’ll soon be history.
Posted on: Fri, 21 Jun 2013 08:55:25 +0000
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