My name is Louis Passano III, born on November 10 1945 at Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. I grew up in Baltimore and Frederick, Maryland, where my brother, Richard Yellott Passano, Ryp, was born. Back in Baltimore my parents divorced and my mother, brother and I moved to Manhattan to live with my Aunt. I attended the first through third grades there and we spent summers in Seal Harbor, Maine. In the summer of 1954 my parents remarried and we moved to Philadelphia for fourth and fifth grades. then moved to Frederick, Maryland for sixth and seventh. Sixth grade was my first experience with boarding school at St. Paul’s in Baltimore, then back home for seventh grade at Frederick Junior High. Back in Baltimore my parents divorced again, I chose to live with my father in Baltimore for eighth and ninth grades. Since I had to repeat the eight grade and failed the ninth. My father sent me to St. Andrew’s School in St. Andrews, Tennessee for ninth through graduation. From there I attended Boston University, College of General Studies for three semesters, 1965 through 1966.
Dropped out and married pregnant first wife to avoid the draft. Started drinking and drugging heavily. Moved back to Baltimore from Boston in the Spring of 1967. My son was born on August 12, 1967. I worked at Western Electric, Westinghouse, Gould and Executone from 1967 through 1980; repeatedly neglecting my wife and son. I don’t know why my wife always took me back. In March, 1980 my employer saved me, suggesting that I spend a month at a motel in Emmitsburg, MD , where I could get my head on straight. To survive, I had to abstain from mind altering, mood changing substances and I had to examined all areas of my life: finance, relationships and philosophy. While I was there, my first wife was granted a divorce . I was truly at a turning point. Afterward I continued working at Executone until laid off in April, 1982. I was hired by ROLM in June of 1982 after a lovely Spring with lots of new friends.
I was clean and sober but still languishing in casual relationships. By 1983 my life was crazy and I was exhausted. So, I vowed to abstain from debauchery. About three weeks later I met a beautiful, widowed nurse with two children. I got feelings and thought that marriage, a merger of ourselves and our children, would improve our lives. We were married on June 11, 1983. Those were good years and I adopted my wife’s daughter in 1986. Then, in 1992 our debt-to-income ratio was bad. Even though I was making more than ever, our expenses were out of control. In October, 1992 I foolishly left ROLM for more money at Nova USA. It was barely enough. By 1998 my wife, influenced by other interests sought divorce. Then Nova USA asked me to move to Silver Spring. I signed our divorce on June 10, 1998. Nova fired me in September, 1998 . Flummoxed by my situation, I hadn’t bothered to get a lawyer. Thus “She got the mine and I got the shaft.”
Although our marriages ended badly, I understand that my wives have had successful marriages since and are happy without me. So it is abundantly clear that I am not a family man and should not have taken that path. In the twenty-first century I have known, lived with and loved many beautiful, honorable and wonderful women but was never tempted to try marriage. Nor have I found another woman who hated me and bought her a house. Lesson learned.
October, 1998, Back in Baltimore, thank God, a good friend hired me at Executone. After the divorce and the Nova catastrophe my finances had declined into bankruptcy which was granted in February, 2002. Eventually NextiraOne bought Executone and kept me on until June, 2002. Since bankruptcy I have not had a credit card or borrowed money. Abstinence is my best solution.
So here I am in 2024 in Wilmington, North Carolina, a toothless, 78 year old dirty old man, my childhood dream realized. Be sure to checkout Irony vs. Satire and Sarcasm . The last time I had a real job was with NextiraOne in 2002. I was 57. I Lived on inheritances and odd jobs for 5 years and got social security in 2008 at 62.5. I am grateful for my family, who have provided me with more than anyone can imagine. Today I miss meeting new people but I don’t need and can’t afford a car. Car services gets me to and from appointments and family visits. My daughter is my care taker. I’ve had a couple of roommates to offset expenses but the last one was trouble. Now my daughter won’t allow it. My situation kinda sucks but I’m not ready to die.