An Interesting Exchange

Randy grew up "on the hill" in St. George, Utah. He and his friends scampered around the red rocks, ledges and sandstone caves near his home. They played "war", and heroically won every battle against "the bad guys." Randy was a very popular playmate because his dad had fought in a real war not very many years before, and Randy had real army stuff to play with. They would dress up in military clothing -- flight caps, fur-lined flight boots, jackets, and parachute harnesses (the parachute itself had been made into curtains for Randy's bedroom) and romp around in St. George's 110 degree temperatures. What fun?! One of the things Randy loved to carry around in his pocket was a small military shaving kit. It wasn't until this year that I learned about the shaving kit.

I recently completed a project (that had been years in the making) sorting and compiling all of the information we've gathered about Randy's dad's escape from German-occupied France. In the process, I watched hours and hours of videos of the various trips we have made to France, interviews with individuals who had been involved, etc. There was a little clip I had not seen before (Randy was at the camera and you can see me in the kitchen with the women doing the dishes). His dad is standing with Henri (the man who at age 18 risked his life to hide Ted from the Germans) and another man and he is holding a small khaki-colored case. He opens it to reveal an old safety razor. He tells this story.

In 1918 (First World War), an American soldier gave this razor to a French soldier. In 1943 (Second World War) this French soldier gave the razor to Ted, an American soldier. He used it during the three months that he was in hiding and escaping from occupied France. In 1987, the razor comes back to France. Ted removes the razor from the case and shows it to Henri. The video clip ends.

WAIT! What happens to the razor? Did he give it to Henri? Did he give it to the other man? Has anyone seen the razor since? There is too much history there to simply disappear. Both Henri and Ted are gone now. I write to Henri's family. They have not seen the razor.

Yesterday we solved the mystery. Randy's brother has the razor. We were able to photograph it. What could the Gillette Company do with this amazing 90-year-old story of international exchange? I guess it's true that "Quality Lasts."