Den Zito at the El Cortez Hotel, San Diego, summer 1973

I wouldn't get a fancy new camera like Dennis is holding for a couple more years.  David Zito would actually purchase one for me when he was stationed in Japan while I was in the Air Force.

At some point that spring of 1973, I do recall that when Mike was then a sock salesman for Neuvil Hosiery, and was working down in San Diego, I flew down there, he met me at the airport, and we spent a pleasant dinner at night at the El Cortez Hotel, taking the glass elevator up to the restaurant level.

I would not revisit San Diego after this trip with the Zito brothers until flying there for ComicCon in the early 2000's.  (Mike and I would drive through San Diego on one occasion when he moved back to Southern California in the later 1980's.  A few years before that, I would drive through San Diego on my way home to Southern California during Christmas vacation in 1978 from the Academy.)

I would meet up with the Zito's on a few different occasions in the later 1970's.

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