THE UNSAVORY Mr. J. Bob Carter, whose flamboyant

oil wealth has been exceeded only by his contemptible per-
sonal habits, served notice this past week to his employees.
It would appear as if the party has crashed.

The only thing consistent about
J. Bob is the slick at the bottom of
the barrel. He didn’t let wealth
change his basic nature.

When I first met this refugee
from the seamier side of San Fran-
cisco life, he was running a com-
pany called Total Video Systems.

During the early 1970s, he
boasted that one day people would
be renting and buying their own
movies and playing them at home.
When it was suggested that stag
films were marketed that way, he
took great offence. His claim was
that the best of movies would be
rented from corner stores.

Tommy, known to
deal in pounds of the
drug, told me it was
humiliating to be publicly
nailed for just a few caps
of heroin.’’

He and his associates set out to
sell franchises. People could make
a modest investment and own a
Total Video movie store. There are
no records as to how many people
lost their shirts, but there was
nothing dishonest about the pro-
motion.

Only two minor problems
prevented Total Video from fame
and fortune: no one in that era had
a video tape recorder and there
were no rental movies available
anyway.

Carter had to scramble to make
a living. He worked as an infor-
mant for drug police officers. On
one occasion, he effectively work-
ed an entrapment exercise against
major drug dealer Tommy Fung.

Carter’s evidence sent Fung to
the British Columbia Penitentiary
for a dozen years or so. Tommy,
known to deal in pounds of the
drug, told me it was humiliating to
be publicly nailed for just a few
caps of heroin.

The few dollars the police could
pay a valued informant just barely
kept Carter off the dole. Then he
disappeared for a long time. Some
thought he must have been dead.

When he re-entered Vancouver
society, it was fuelled by legitimate
wealth. Police, crooks and knowl-
edgeable media were quite simply
speechless. This talented bum was
now able to buy and sell them all
many times over.

It portrayed a less charming side
of the human equation. It was
breathtaking how many socialites
and businessmen were proud to say
that J. Bob was ‘‘a personal
friend.’’ When it was suggested
that he may have a wart or two,
these folks were quick to argue
about his virtues. This took cre-
ative imagination.

It took a while to learn when
Carter’s warts were scraped away,

there wasn’t much left.

And now the empire — it ap-
pears — has crumbled. Watch the
press and business leaders lick at
the ashes. The phonies will no
longer have to respect him.

wat

There was a wonderful story in
Victoria this week. Someone had
challenged the right of the pro-
vince’s oldest private club to re-
main an exclusively male environ-
ment. The venerable Union Club
admits women as guests to its din-
ing room and now, wives are even
permitted to accompany their hus-
bands in the smartly renovated
guest bedrooms.

Carol Gran, the minister
responsible for women’s issues,
said she was going to stay out of
this matter. Premier Vander Zalm,
an honorary member and a past
resident of the Union Club, has
remained noncommittal on the
prospect of burning his card.

Arguments for an outside inva-
sion of any private organization
make no more sense than claiming
the right to pitch a tent on some-
one else’s front lawn.

Any group of people who are
willing to pay their own bills can
set the rules without interference.
Memberships can be defined any
way they wish: by gender, ethnic
background, profession, hobby or
whatever.

To suggest otherwise becomes an
affront to individual and collective
freedom.

The debate reminds me of a golf
game I once had in Colorado. My
partner was an obviously affluent
tourist from Los Angeles. When he
stopped for refreshment, I asked
him if he was a member of a golf
club. When he cited the name of a
new course, he went on to point
out that he had recently quit one
of the famous and prestigious
California layouts.

“*I quit the day they completed
the big three,"” he said.

After prodding from us, he ex-
plained that the first mistake was
the day they admitted women to
full membership. ‘‘But I had to go
along with that, as my wife was the
ladies’ president.’’

He said the second mistake was
the installation of a swimming
pool. ‘‘The lifeguard instantly
became chief baby-sitter for the
children and grandchildren of
members ... hell, they were always
running everywhere!"’

But the bold and final stroke, he
added, was the construction of
tennis courts. ‘¢Tennis players
don’t belong on a golf course.
They are not even the same pcopte.
They eat yogurt and salads and run
all over the fairways in jogging
suits.”

He said the new club is heaven.
Fifty thousand to join. Steaks, li-
quor, cards, golf and, MEN ON-
LY.
ee

Do you have revenue producing investment
properties such as:

* Apartment Buildings

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Would you like an investment analysis done tc
show where you stand in today's growing

market? if so, give me a call. | offer an exten-
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residential real estate.

My future depends on my successes today!

— Shouldn't yours?

KLAAS VAN DEN BOS, CCIM
(604) 984-9711
Sussex Group-S.RC. Realty Corp.

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