The original article in the Woodstock Times ran:

“In 1980, I sponsored a young Laotian family so they could escape confinement in a Thai refugee camp and come to America. The father, Vilay, was bright and mechanically gifted and within months was making good money as a partner in my construction firm.
Together we soon bought land and built a home for their family. Since a mortgage was not an option for them, I put in time and money in return for a half interest in the home. Although prospering, after a few Woodstock winters – never before having endured snow – they longed for the climate of their homeland. About that time one of my tenants, Chloe Dresser, asked me if I knew of any home she could buy with a small inheritance.

To make a long story short, Chloe bought Vilay’s half interest, Vilay took his family to Louisiana and used his capital to buy a shrimp boat. By the time of closing, Chloe and I had fallen in love, and still are, with 2 children of our own.”


Update for 2004

Recently, I bought a home in need of immediate renovation. I called Vilay, who has settled in Georgia and established his own kitchen cabinet shop. He and his wife came up for a couple of weeks to help out. We had a joyous reunion after more than 2 decades.

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