I met so many interesting people in my life and times. I would like to share some of those stories with you. When I was nine I was walking around my neighborhood and I saw a group of people that formed a circle. This man walked over to me and said,”Hey kid do you want to be in a movie?”
Well he didn’t have to ask me twice. He walked me to the circle of people and pushed me to the front. It was Elvis Presley filming his new movie King Creole. All of us were clapping our hands and snapping our fingers as he sang. Wow I was a movie star!
Years later when I was a waiter at Derricks…A very successful businessman asked me if I wanted to go to see Elvis in Las Vegas. Before I knew it we were on a helicopter. Not my favorite form of transportation. We arrived at the hotel and were seated very near the stage. What a showman he was!
After his performance we went backstage to meet him. I have to tell you that I was a bit shy. He introduced me to Elvis and I shook his hand. He was very exhausted so we did not stay long. On our way out. I said to myself…”Little did Elvis know that when I was a kid I was in King Creole.”
My assistant and good friend, MM, took me to Saks Fifth Avenue to buy a perfume for a friend. The fragrance was called Bal A Versailles. It was made with amber, jasmine, and orange blossoms. We were standing at the counter and there was a lady standing next to us. She looked so familiar but I could not place her face.
I walked away for a few minutes and this lady asked MM if I was Richard Simmons… and she said yes. When I came back to pay for my purchase, I chatted with this lady. While we were talking I noticed she was wearing a charm bracelet with large charms from all over the world. There were diamonds emeralds rubies and sapphires. One of the charms was the Eiffel Tower.
This lady was dressed beautifully. She talked to us about her travels all over the world. Then she said good bye to us and walked out of the store. The sales person said to us …”Do you know who you were talking to?” It was Shirley Temple Black. I ran outside and watched her Rolls Royce drive away. She was the most successful child actress in history. I watched her grow up and followed her career.
So many people visited my salad bar. A lady walked in… she was on her late 70s and was with a younger lady. The lady asked me to sit down …she had a story to share . Did you ever see the original King Kong in black and white? I told her that I did. Do you remember a lady screaming when she saw King Kong? Yes… My name is Faye Wray. I sat with her and her granddaughter and she told me how the film was made. Then she yelled out a scream and we both laughed hysterically.
Once a week a very serious man came to have a salad. He always wore a crisp white shirt. “My name is Nathan Pritikin.” He was a nutritionist and had a longevity center in Santa Monica . His food plan was very strict He invited me there but I never went.
When he passed away I read the obituary and found out they were having a memorial service. I went dressed in a white linen suit..jacket a white shirt and a handmade white tie encrusted with milk white beads. I sat in the back for the service. After it was over a lady walked up to me and asked me who I was. When I told her, she looked in my eyes and said “My husband was very impressed with you.”
Now you may not know his name but you will after this. Gayelord Hauser was a nutritionist and wrote a book called Look Younger Live Longer. He also created quite a few products one of them is called Spike which you can buy in stores . It was a blend of 39 herbs different spices vegetables and a little salt. It is all natural. Nothing artificial. He took a glass jar out of his pocket and placed it on the table. Go make yourself a salad and sprinkle some Spike on top. I have to admit it was delicious. Next time he came in he brought a box of Spike to let my customers try it.
Harvey Lembeck was an actor and coached other actors. ”I am having a little party can you come?” Look I want you to meet a young man who is going to be a big success. When I walked up his driveway there was a man standing on his porch. I shook his hand and asked him what his name was. “I am John Travolta.” Look what he did with his life. He could sing. He could dance. He could act and I had the pleasure of meeting him when his career began…..to be continued
