Tony Bennett...I Love You!

This morning, the local Oldies station, asked "Have you ever met a celebrity and if so, who?"

Well, it set my memory in motion.  Several years ago, my husband, had a meeting in Santa Monica, CA.  Daughter Lauren flew out to meet us as she was considering attending UCLA for graduate work at the time and it was a good opportunity for Mom and Dad to see the school where we may be sending money.

We did all the tourist stuff, Rodeo Drive, Hollywood and Vine, Sunset Blvd. (rode right down the street where the Beverly Hillbillies came in), walked (actually went in to use the bathroom) into the hotel where "Pretty Woman" was filmed, rode the freeway O.J. drove his Bronco on, went to the Getty Museum,  put my hands and feet in a bunch of places at Grauman's Chinese Theatre and Hollywood Blvd, walked on the Santa Monica pier at night, joined a drum circle on Venice Beach at sunset,  and just generally enjoyed life!  How could the trip with this much fun be any better?  Just wait.

Our flight out was early that day and we had to be at the LAX airport by 5 a.m.  As we were walking into the terminal, I saw a man in front of us.  Not any man, TONY BENNETT!  I was speechless, and just pointed.  Serendipity!  Lauren and John laughed at me, obviously not understanding the importance of this moment for me.

There were no other people checking, just us, TONY BENNETT, and the screeners.  I moved right up so I was right beside of him, removing my jacket as he was taking off his fine Italian loafers to put them on the scanner. He was looking fine. I was so excited I could barely move. He IS my favorite singer. I just stared at him trying to make eye contact.  Finally, when we sat down beside each other to put our shoes back on....he looked at me and smiled.  Nothing would come out, but finally I was able to squeak out, "I love you!" He just smiled (and I almost melted) and said, "Thank you, you are very kind."

He gathered his belongings and so did we.  Still shaken and weak, with my husband and daughter still giggling at me, we followed him up the stairs to our departing gate.  He continued on in front of us so I "stalked" him to see where he was going. He stopped the gate for NYC.  I kept walking back from our gate to see if he was still there and to just "look at him" reading the newspaper. It was awesome!

My husband and daughter still howl at how adolescent I acted that day, and that I was so overcome by him I forgot to take a picture.  But you know what, those few minutes are etched in my memory bank and all I have to do is hear a few notes from "I Left My Heart in San Francisco," and the thrill of that day comes right back.

John and Lauren still laugh.  But it was Tony Bennett!  What a day!

PCQ