Little Story #31

Famous people have always been in my life. Mostly because I was cooking them food in a restaurant kitchen.
In Boulder I cooked dinner for Joni Mitchel. I wanted to send her desert but the waiter wouldn't carry it. He thought it would bother her. Desert? Bother?
I served Bill Murray breakfast. He wanted pie for desert and had trouble accepting that we didn't have any available. He said - I'm looking into your eyes and I think I see pie.
I made lunch for William Burrows. I'm sure there's a naked joke I could make but I can't think of it. He had a roast beef sandwich.
Carol King was having dinner in a place when I walked through the dining room.
Leonard Nimoy smiled at me from a car.
Maria Muldaur was in the Diner one day. I had seen her the night before in a small club. I started going off about how I didn't think she'd been very good before I realized she was there. I can only hope she didn't hear me being such a dope.
Joe Jackson (Don't You Know That It's Different for Girls) walked out of the hotel in front of me.
I was sitting at a bar one day. Taj Mahal sat down next to me. We chatted a bit and sang a few lines of I Cover the Waterfront together.  One of the thrills of my life.
I was crossing a street in NYC. Tyne Daly was crossing at the same time. When I realized who she was she was smiling and nodding. I'm not sure but I think she may have thought I recognized her (before I did) and was being kind. It felt a little awkward. I loved her.
I cooked dinner for Susan Sontag. I was the only member of the crew who knew who she was.
Gene Shalit held a news paper up at the pass bar of the kitchen because he needed light. I said - movie section? He smiled and nodded.
Kevin Klein and Phobe Cates ate in that same restaurant. As did Garrison Keillor. As did Tom Hulce.
Danny Glover smiled at me as I walked down the street in SF. Smiled and nodded. Swoon.
Nick Nolte had dinner with me once. We weren't at the same table but ... heh.
The weird thing about seeing famous people is they look familiar. You think you know them at first but of course ... you don't.