A Stranger, a Rolex Daytona and Chocolate

There is this movie line from 1994, “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get.” There sure is a lot of truth contained in that line isn’t there?

I was 43 when I started working at the Wynn Rolex Store in Las Vegas. It wasn’t my first or last gig in the luxury Vegas jewelry business, but it’s where I was this one evening around 2006. The sign over the door just said “Rolex Store” and that was completely sufficient. I always worked the evening shift in Vegas. It’s when all the real action happened. Everyone who was someone in Vegas, on any given day, was out and about in the evening. And it’s when I made my biggest sales.

What unfolded on this day and the following day sure was a lot like that box of chocolates. 

The evening shift was from 3 to 11pm. It was probably around 4pm that I was standing in the store chitchatting with the other sales ladies, when I observed an older gentleman shuffle through the door. I immediately thought, “oh who do we have here?” He looked to be in his 60’s and had a bit of a scowl on his face. Overall, he was looking a little disheveled. Yes, he was wearing nice slacks and a button-down shirt, but he just wasn’t presenting as neat and fit. He was accompanied by a teenage boy who I naturally assumed was his son. 

I immediately stepped up and greeted him with my standard line “Hello, welcome to Wynn Rolex, my name is Robyn, is there anything in particular you are looking for?

The man responded “Yes, A Stainless-Steel Daytona”.

So, the following conversation must be understood in the proper context. I am standing in the Wynn Rolex Store in Las Vegas, representing the Wynn name, and this slightly upset and disheveled customer walks in and ask for one of the most coveted, and in demand watches in existence. From my perspective it was a bit bemusing. The Rolex Daytona is one of the most Iconic and sought after luxury time pieces in the world. 

Basically, nobody walks in off the street and buys a Rolex Daytona anywhere. If you are not already an existing customer, and if you are not on the waiting list, it’s not going to happen.

So back with the customer, I responded with a playful but slightly sarcastic, “Sure, let me just go back to the safe and get you one, do you want a black dial or a white dial?” What’s your preference?” Always with a smile of course!

But I immediately followed up with “Of course not…. we don’t have any!”

To this, the customer responded with, ”Steve Wynn is a good friend of mine.” Continuing with the friendly banter I exclaimed, “If I had a nickel for every time someone walked into this store and said Steve Wynn is my friend, I wouldn’t need this job.”

The conversation remained very lighthearted and fun. I was trying to lift his spirits while at the same time figuring how I could help him. And it seemed to be working! He seemed to be loosening up a bit.

The next thing he said caught me a little off guard. He stated, “You look familiar.” However, my mind was telling me that I had never met this person before, and I had no idea who he was. I was wearing a name tag, but it only had my first name, “Robyn.”

I completely side-stepped his comment about me looking familiar and moved into deeper conversation. I’m basically trying to gauge who he is and can he really afford a Rolex Daytona!

I asked where he was from?  He vigorously responded that he was from Los Angeles and that he was “robbed” yesterday! He is here to replace his stolen watch!

The conversation took another slight turn…

He then said, “you talk funny”,” I responded, “what do you mean I talk funny?”

He explained… I don’t mean “funny” as in “funny,” but funny as in educated….as in who are you, you are clearly educated?

I told him I was a graduate of the Gemological Institute of America, I also attended Brigham Young University in Hawaii, and I graduated Torrey Pines High school where I essentially received a college education in high school. (Torrey Pines was one of the top 10 High Schools in the nation, it was harder than college.)

Now he’s standing there with his hand on his chin saying, “you really look familiar.”

I circled back to the Rolex….

I gave him my business card and told him with a smile “tell your friend Steve to call me and authorize me to release a Daytona.”

My business card had my full name – “Robyn Burton” on it. He took it and gave me a look of “Ok, challenge accepted!”

The following day I arrived at work at the usual time. The sales floor was a little crowded as it was shift-change, and both the day shift and afternoon shifts were hanging out. As I entered the front door all eyes were on me. I responded, what? Did someone die? One of my co-workers blurted out, “Mr. Wynn called looking for you.”

I suddenly felt that twinge in my stomach as if I was being sent to the principal’s office. I wondered if I was getting a complaint from the man looking for the watch yesterday.

I was handed a phone message, from Mr. Wynn, that said It’s Ok to give Jerry Kramer whatever Daytona he wants. I had to confirm, so I picked up the phone and called Mr. Wynn’s office. Mr. Wynn came on the phone, I introduced myself as a sales associate in the Rolex store, and that I was calling about his note. Mr. Wynn stated, “I authorize Jerry to have any watch he wants from the safe, he will be in this afternoon.” I asked if we were “comping” the watch, and he said no, he would be purchasing it.  Well, that was a relief! Mr. Wynn gave no indication that he was upset with me.

I settled into my shift watching the always fascinating parade of people walk by when I see the person from yesterday, walk through the door. And he’s smiling like a Cheshire cat who just ate a mouse! I said, Hello Mr. Kramer, I spoke to your friend, and he authorized you to pick any Daytona you would like from the safe. He responded, “Yes I know….”

He then walked right up to me, piercing through any personal space, and boldly exclaims “I know who you are, you look just like your mother!”  I was stunned! Tears instantly began filling my eyes. My mother, Dixie Burton, had passed away in 1997, not quite ten years ago. I grabbed his arm and pulled him into the “Alcove” a private client area for conducting business with VIP’s. 

Once seated, he said, “before we talk about watches, let me tell you about your mother. I would not be who I am today if your mother didn’t take a chance on me.” As I dabbed at the tears flowing down my face - he related the following story.

“I was a young attorney just out of law school, with great ideas. I was driven, but I just needed someone to give me an opportunity. I knew what I had, and I knew my ideas would be successful, but until I met your mother no one gave me a chance.

I knocked on so many doors, various theaters and venues, and everyone was a no!

One day I walked through the front doors of the Pantages Theater and made my way up to the executive offices. I still remember your mother’s name, Dixie Burton, above the open door. She was sitting at her desk.  I knocked and politely introduced myself.  Then I told her I had a couple of ideas I would like to share, if she had the time.

She motioned me to an empty chair, and she said, “Ok you have ten minutes.”

I was just astonished that someone was saying yes to me. I had been told “no” so many times; I couldn’t believe someone was taking the time to listen.”

Were still sitting in the Alcove and I’m bawling like a baby! He continued…. “When I first met you yesterday, I knew that I knew you, but I couldn’t place it. I was all bamboozled because I had just been robbed in LA the day before. When I saw you with your bright smile, it was so familiar. I would not be sitting here talking to you today if it wasn’t for your mother giving me my first big break.”

My Mother Dixie Burton with a young John Voight, likely at the Pantages Theater in Hollywood.

___________________________________________________________________________

Mr. Kramer went on to explain that he and my mother struck a deal wherein he could use one of the theaters she managed on Mondays, which are dark, but he had to pay the light bill and union wages for any theater employees. Otherwise, the theater was free of charge.

Jerry Kramer went on to become a Hollywood producer and director. But what was that big idea he had on the day he met my mother? I’m not sure he even told me during our encounter, but I believe it was the idea for the music film, “Kilroy Was Here,” a short science fiction story featuring the band Styx that accompanied their concept album “Kilroy was Here.” The film was shot in 1983 and Jerry was the co-director. Part, or perhaps all the film was shot in an actual theater, of which my mother managed several, including the old Fox Theater in downtown San Diego. This was Jerry Kramer’s first film project.

In 1983 our family lived in a 4-bedroom home on Via Aprilla near Torrey Pines State Beach in San Diego. In those days it was not at all unusual to wake up and find strangers sleeping on the living room floor or the sofa. It was just part of being in the theater business.

One morning, while still in high school, I remember having to pick my away around sleeping bodies on the living room floor - on my way to the kitchen before school. But again, nothing unusual for our family. That afternoon I called my mother at her office and asked who all the guys were who were sleeping in the living room this morning. She responded, “Oh, they’re some band called Styx.”

According to the website Rotten Tomatoes, Jerry Kramer went on to direct the documentary “The Making of “Thriller”” about Michel Jackson’s landmark 1983 music video, and later he was involved as a producer and director with Jackson’s 1988 video project “Moonwalker” among other film projects.

Back in the watch store I was still wrapping my head around everything Jerry Kramer had just poured out to me. I was nostalgic for my beautiful-amazing mother, still teary eyed, but so happy for this encounter with Mr. Kramer. And I wasn’t surprised one bit that my mother gave him his first break. That was just the kind of person my mother was! I knew I was going to have to complete the sale of the Daytona at some point.

I eventually called the Senior Manager of Wynn Retail over and introduced him to Mr. Kramer as I knew he loved all things Hollywood. Plus, he had to sign off on the sale of the watch. And yes Mr. Kramer left that day with his new SS Daytona Rolex.

Jerry stopped in the store a handful of times after our encounter, to say hi and tell me about his latest business adventures.

He passed away on September 15, 2023.

Chocolate anyone?

By Robyn Burton, as told to Darryl Kimball