John Houghtaling and his Magic Fingers

Eric informed me in hushed and somber tones that he had waited until after my concert to give me some bad news. He was fumbling with his cell phone as I turned to look at him and he proceeded to show me the online news account. The obituary in this LA Times Article spells it out.

Eric & I were married in September 1979 in the Salt Lake City Temple. We enjoyed a lovely reception at Eric's parent's new home in Park Meadows and then spent the first night of our honeymoon at The Yarrow in Park City followed by two days hiking and camping in Zion National Park. We then continued to California to enjoy an open house with all of my California friends and family. We left late in the afternoon after a full day of hiking and playing and by the time we hit Victorville we were pretty tired. Knowing that we would have to sleep on the sofa sleeper that night at my parent's apartment because our hotel reservations started the following night in Orange, we decided to stop at the Victorville Motel 6.

It was late, we were tired. As we began to settle in to the accomodations my eye was drawn to the coin box on the bed and naively wondered what 'Relaxation Service' meant. My new husband immediately snickered. But the story as Eric tells it, embellished over the years for maximum affect, was that I inserted a quarter in the machine and loved the full body shakedown it offered. He says that I made him get dressed and go searching for more quarters to enjoy the Magic Fingers treatment all night long.

I can't remember the details so I'll take his storytelling word for it. And the thoughts of a vibrating bed sounds pretty good even now. As long as it's not from an earthquake!

p.s.-found another person's similar story at Retro Thing and the link to the official Magic Fingers System site. For just $79.99 I may have to order one for old times sake! It's the perfect gift for our 30th Anniversary coming up in just three months!