#9 Ben

I would usually send "Opal" up there alone with my wife and continue on with the rest of the Polack Bros. herd but one year we took both "Opal" and "Anna May" and even "Baby Stella". At first we had no idea that a stipend would be included with the gig until the IRS pointed it out and when we complained, it turned out Al Dobritch had somehow cashed it in and my wife went right thru the ceiling and threatened a Law Suit and Louie Stern said "Hell! I'll pay you the money! and she said NO! NO! NO! When the next year came around she absolutely forbid me to take an take an elephant off the lot! The upshot was incredible, even the Newspapers commented on it. As it turned out she got her money, "Opal", my wife and Ben were released from the Wheeling, West Virginia Shrine date  with the stipulation that the Potetate be included in the Telecast viewing from the seats. Such was the power of the Sullivan Show in those days.