How I came to understand Frank Sinatra

I never knew much about Francis Albert Sinatra, nor cared for him or any of his music.

And then one summer about 15 years ago I was in New York visiting a woman I met on a film that we worked together on in Hawaii. Trying to not seem too crazy, but I was (about her) trying my best to get her to move to Los Angeles. It didn’t work, she wouldn’t leave New York and I couldn’t see myself living there (I really hate cold weather and hot humid summers, part of why I left Detroit), so in a really long tough situation, I had to say goodbye.

Leaving her part of the Village (Bleecker and MacDougal) and then walking North on Broadway to where I was staying in my agents office in the Chemical Bank building at Times Square, it started to rain. Even in a low budget movie it would seem trite, a cheap effect to add emphasis to a sad scene.

Except it was real, and I kept on keeping on without a cab or bus, just walking what would end up to seem to be around a million blocks, a lot for anyone, especially a Los Angeles guy. In L.A., if you’re seen walking, people just assume that your car broke down somewhere, or maybe you were carjacked.

Anyway, about 4 blocks into the walk I passed a record store (remember those things that look like 12 inch in diameter black CD’s? Only ancient history now), and this store had a huge speaker outside over the door, playing “The Way You Look Tonight”.

I stopped for just a few minutes, and when I resumed the walk, I had a working knowledge of most of what Frank Sinatra was all about. Did I ever manage to hook up with Kathleen? Nope. Will I ever forget her? Well, Altzheimers’ aside, I don’t think so, I owe her too much for the education.

Shoobee Doobee Doo Y’all………..

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