You’ll enjoy Griff’s story but I’m more curious about the famous people with whom you’ve dined. … From the Seattle Post-Intelligencer today:
“Now you’ve shaken the hand that shook the hand of Albert Einstein,” he says. “Not many people can say that anymore.”
Passover, the traditional eight-day celebration of Jewish freedom and renewal, starts at sundown today.
Griff’s version of “my dinner with Einstein” goes like this:
As they headed toward an on-campus dining hall, one of the guys cried out, “I don’t believe it!” Griff recalls. “And there was this little man with the big head and bushy hair, and it was him. He greeted us as a group and stood in front of the hall taking questions.
“People were asking him about the theory of relativity and math. … So I inched my way up to the front and asked him, ‘Professor, do you have any trouble doing your income tax?’
“He looked at me with that big oversized head — and it was oversized, just the way it always looks in the photographs — and he smiled and said, ‘It’s too complicated.’ “
There’s more to Griff’s life that you’ll enjoy reading, and a few more anecdotes about Einstein:
Neither has Sanford Petersky, who has known him since they graduated Garfield High School together in 1943.
“He’s told me about that (Einstein meeting),” Petersky says. “I believe it happened.”
Griff, who is now legally blind, has told it at the Kline Galland home for old folks where he volunteers as well. It is, in fact, one of his favorite stories. And he has many others.
A few involve other famous people. There was the time he was on liberty leave at the Stage Door Canteen in New York City and felt a tap on his shoulder.
“This woman said, ‘Would you like a Coke, sailor?’ ” he says. “It was Bette Davis.
“I said, ‘Yes!’ “
Another tale involves a long-ago canceled date with a long-legged woman he declines to publicly identify “because she’s still alive.” Suffice it to say, it would have put him in a league with Fred Astaire.
Griff, who lives alone with a sweeping view of Puget Sound from his downtown condominium, spent his working years in the insurance business. Born in Seattle — “I’ve been told Providence Hospital has never been the same” — he married three times and has four surviving children and eight grandchildren.
His Einstein tale, which can’t be independently verified, is at least plausible.
Einstein first went to Princeton in 1921 to deliver four lectures on the theory of relativity and to receive an honorary doctorate. In 1933, he returned to join the newly founded Institute for Advanced Study. He lived in Princeton, N.J., for 22 years until his death in 1955.
Although the institute couldn’t verify the specifics of the dinner, archivists there did verify that Einstein was in town in Princeton during Passover in 1945.
“It’s not like an Elvis sighting,” says Eileen Beirne of the Institute. “He was here.”
New anecdotes about Einstein are cropping up, especially now, she says. This year marks the centennial of Einstein’s so-called “Year of Miracles.”
In 1905, Einstein published the seminal work on the dual nature of light — that it had properties of both particles and waves — that transformed 20th-century scientific thought and produced the famous equation E=mc{+2}. Two other pivotal papers followed, including one on special relativity, establishing Einstein as a physics genius.
To Griff, on that day, however, he was a fellow Jew sharing a traditional religious ceremony.
“We had a communal Seder. We all participated,” he says. “And Einstein, he read along with the book — the Haggada. He wasn’t anyone special.”
After dinner, Einstein reached under his table and pulled out his violin, says Griff. “He was really pleased to have a captive audience, and he played for us. He was good. He played several pieces and said he did his best thinking and relaxing playing music.”
Then everyone got up, says Griff. “And as we left, he shook each of our hands.”
I have to leave in 10 minutes to visit my mother and brother, along with my daughter.
Quickly: In 1972, at the national ACBL bridge tournament in Denver, I met a leading bridge writer who romanced me. He took me out to dinner with Charles Goren who was, by that time, a rather sad and lonely man. But, in the world of bridge, regarded as a genius.
In college, I ate dinner one night with David Packard, the co-founder of Hewlett-Packard. Tall, sturdy, authoritative without being frightening. He commanded the room.
I haven’t time to describe much of my impressions / will do so later! Cheers, and see you later … looking forward to YOUR stories!
Wow, Susan! We have crossed paths…I caddied at the 1972 national. My folks and grandparents were seriously into bridge, and when they weren’t playing, they kibitzed. I did a lot of running from pillar to post at tourneys all over the place, mostly in the south. My big memory of that one, and I really was just a kid, was meeting Omar Sharif and Alan Sontag. I was fairly well dumbstruck. Sharif was an icon and Sontag was the rising star.
My dad was on 3rd tour in Viet Nam and we were staying with my g’parents in Ft. Morgan, CO. It was an odd time for me and a lot of those memories have faded.
I play a little bit, but mostly on the computer. With a young family and bridge not much of a force in my locale, it is hard to find the time or a game.
What a hoot! Thanks for your story, it made me remember things I hadn’t thought of in years.
I didn’t see Omar Sharif! I’d remember that … weird. I used to have fantasies about playing bridge with him π Was he lovely in person?
I did kibbitz Telly Savales (Kojak), who was nuts about bridge, at that tournament.
One more little thing: Our team won the Swiss event, and my name was in the ACBL record book — well, the edition that came out about 25 years ago. I heard that I’m not in the newest edition, darn π
Did you like caddying? I couldn’t get my daughter to caddy when she was a teen. I don’t play anymore…. it can become all-consuming, and I’d never be a great player, although I loved playing against the best because it was thrilling.
For all: Bridge is one of the most endlessly challenging games. One never masters the game. Tournament bridge is entirely different from social bridge, and very complex.
I had a good friend in NYC who died a few years ago. He was a computer programmer and a genius at bridge and Go. He said the three most difficult games are baseball, bridge and go. He said that a child can be taught to play chess — even at a rudimentary level, and sometimes at a high level. But no child can ever learn bridge and play it with any success … it requires an older, more mature mind.
What I remember of the conversation between Sharif and Sontag was about Sharif scouting Sontag and his partner. I was running errands for one of the assistant directors. They were in a hospitality room with a small buffet and a large bar. Sharif was solicitous, but it seemed like baiting. Something about the Italian team and the world championship.
I asked my mom about that since I posted and she said that the core of the Blue team had been in semi-retirement for a couple of years and saw Sontag as a challenge. This doesn’t mean a lot to me, but the two of them made an impression on me.
As far as the caddying went, I did enjoy it until I was about 17 and then it was more like a job. I wasn’t the adorable child among the adults anymore. I guess I always enjoyed it, but more because I had gotten to know some of the personalities and understood the nuances of the game better.
On playing of bridge, I am good at play and defense, but I am totally frustrated because my “bidding hat” routinely falls off at inopportune times. I’ve been told that it is normal because I don’t play that much duplicate and never with a regular partner. I do play a little everyday on the PC with a ‘bot program. It is what wakes me up in the morning and jump starts my brain.
I have dined with are rock stars that I went to high school with.
John Popper, Chan Kinchla, Bobby Sheehan, and Brendan Hill of Blues Traveler. Most of our dining was actually lunch at Hoagie Haven, but…
Also Chris Gross, who is now known as Chris Barron, of Spin Doctors fame.
They are all great guys. Unfortunately Bobby died a few years ago. He had a wonderful funeral in Brooklyn, which turned into a kind of high school reunion.
It was the most enjoyable funeral I’ve ever attended. I came sad and left smiling.
You’re not going to believe this, but a couple of my friends used to hang out with those guys quite a bit! In fact, BT once played one of their hot-tub parties in Springhouse PA (many moons ago, obviously).
Susan, do parties with Wavy Gravy (or serving Mike Schmidt’s dinner) count?
Whatever floats your boat, CG. I was even thinking of writing about some of my relatives, who weren’t famous but who were fascinating.
and you will be putting your hand in the same place as did Geroge Herman “Babe” Ruth.
I was born in 1946. In 1948 we lived on Riverside Drive briefly, apparently so I am told in the same building as Ruth, who was then close to his death. I have a vague memory of someone who seemed huge to me leaning over me a touching my head. When I was around 10, and first exploring early memories (and this was my earliest), I asked my parents about it, and they told me the story about Babe Ruth.
Now, I can’t prove it. But it is stikll a nice tale, isn’t it?
Of course, having grown up in in comfortable NY suburb, spent time in NY City in the 1960’s nad 1970’s, having gone to Haverford, and having lived around DC since 1982, I ahvae known – sometikmes slightly, sometimes more closely — a fair number of well-known people. I do not know whom I would describe as a genius. In the summer of 1968 one of my firends in Greenwich V illage was a stand-ujp comic who couldn’t get a break. His then girl firend did, when the producer of a new tv show decided to sign her. his name was Georgle Schlatter, and she is Lily Tomlin. I doubt shbe’d remember me.
One of the top people in the talent business now, and whoas Al Pacion’s agents talked Al into doing “Scent of a Woman” which won that worthy his oen and only oscar, Rick Nicit, was a classmate beginning in 7th grade through hs — last saw him at a reunion — I think actually in October of 2003. Also at that reunion was Tom Horne, now Supreintendent of Public Instruction in AZ (and we disagree on most things educational, although a nubmer of years ago I was a guest in his home, and later that same year I took him and his family on a tour of DC). One of other classamtes, Carla maxwell, runs the Jose Limon Dance Company. – now, she might be a genuis.
Or for genuis, perhaos my Uncle Jack — he had over 100 patents for what was then Squibb, he could ahve gone on the professional bowling tour, and he never learned to drive a car. Go figure.
Or for genius, I can tell you some frightening sotries of some of the students I have been blessed — or cursed — to teach. It is a bit frightening to have an 8th grader come up to you and say he wants to ask you a question because you are the brightest person he knows (thanks), and then asks you to explain something he does not quite explain in Einstein’s theory of general relativity. Yes, that actually happened.
What any of this has to do with the diary, i don’t know. But I’m sitting with my computer, i have no topic i wish to diary, and the topic provoked me a bit. Sorry.
Well, one story comes to mind.
I did research in Yellowstone Park one summer. The day before I left, I went to an Arlo Guthrie concert with some friends I wouldn’t see for a couple of months.
After I drove the couple hundred miles to the Park the next day I was browsing in a gift shop. I don’t know if anyone knows – Arlo’s son is in a band and they had played with him the night before. One of the son’s band members was in the shop.
I just said, “I saw you play last night.” I think he was new enough to the business that recognition was still unique. So he says, “Dude . . . I can’t find Arlo anywhere – help me look for him.”
So we found Arlo at the cafe and I was introduced just as he put a forkful of something in his mouth. He politely mumbled something with his mouth still full. I told him I enjoyed the show the night before. His eyes widened slightly and he politely said, “What in the hell are you doing here?”
He did ask if I wanted to join them but I declined. I am a huge fan but like leaving people in peace. I just always have a picture of him with his mouth stuffed full, and I wonder if he was thinking there may be a stalker standing over him.
So I almost dined with Arlo Guthrie.
the Original subject title is to long…damn..i spend 10 minutes writing about the amazing Breakfast I had with Tina Turner, and dinner with several World famous Pop Stars who’s names, if I mentioned would surly cause me to be banned from here and Dkos. I also wrote about dinner out and in with an Oscar Winning Actress who I have been friends with since our Teenage years. It was really a celeb fuckfest…I hit post and left. Came back thinking..”Where did it go?”…”Was my post Troll rated??? WTF?” and realized that it didn’t take my post cause the original subject title is Toooooooooo Longggggggggg. Oh well. Beware my friends of long subject posts.
I plan to “dine” with genius after I die.
Since I’m living life in order to go to hell (according to the Fundies), I hope to spend eternity “dining” with Homer, Aristotle, DaVinci, Erasmus (if Martin Luther had his way), Tchaikovsky, O’Keefe, Hepburn (K.), and all the other REALLY interesting people.
Who wants to spend eternity strumming a harp and singing “hallelujah” all the friggin’ time?
Not really geniuses, but celebrities:
As a wee bairn(e?), I met Walt Disney while he was building Disneyworld. My grandpa sold him his cars; somehow I was taken to the World while it was under construction. Mr. Disney sat me on his lap and asked what I would like to see there. (I’ve been told.) Being shy in those days, I’m sure I was speechless.
Ummm….My Mom was George Romney’s personal sec’y. back when he was the CEO of Nash Motors. Didn’t interest me, being under age 8 and uninterested in cars, though I met him.
Hmmm…wonder if these brushes/dinners/whatever should be revealed. Oh, what the heck. In my twenties i bartended for awhile. One day Jon Voight and a friend came in. He asked me out for dinner and clubbing. It was a hoot and I was definately star struck but don’t remember alot of the evening as I got pretty drunk(this was a couple years before I got sober.
I worked for an airline for several years so checked alot of celebs in…just some Michael Douglas, John Travolta, but the very nicest Martin Sheen. Chatted with him for about fifteen minutes as it was a late night flight and a slow time.
While I was living on Kauai I met Michael McDonald aat a support group and we chatted in the parking lot about problems he was having with his son. A group of us all went out for burgers afterward and he went with us. Very down to earth guy and quite humble.
many years ago, I did drink a beer in a kitchen in Boulder while the guy drinking beer next to me poured the remains of his can over the head of an obnoxious person.
The pourer was Allen Ginsberg. I have no idea who the pouree was.
I met and talked with John Wayne a year before his death when my husbands business went there to trim his tree’s and I insisted on going as part of the crew.
While I was trimming some bushes with a small chain saw, he walked down the slope to me, loomed over me and said, “What’s a little lady like you, doing work like this for,” he asked, with a big grin on his face. He had a female gardner so he liked women who did this type of work I thought. He was very charming and I was awestruck.
It was his home located on the bay in Newport Beach, with his boat docked there. He did eat lunch on the patio while we were there with some guests while I swept the patio around him, until my husband yanked me off and had me do something else.
My ex husband’s business also has worked for Joey Bishop for years now, anyone remember him.
I remember Joey Bishop well. I’m not sure I like the fact that I do remember him, but there it is.
in Taos was introduced to and spent an afternoon talking to Dorothy Brett who had come there with D. H. Lawrence.
Not exactly “dined,” but I smoked some (= a whole bunch of) pot with a currently sitting member (Republican!) of the House of Representatives and soon thereafter we totally destroyed 2 lbs of potato chips, a couple of Twinkies, and about 7 boxes of ‘Screaming Yellow Zonkers.’
This was back in the 70’s before he was elected.
Does that count?
we hate and can get into a lot of trouble???? Red State or Blue State?
This person used to be a semi-sorta-friend, is not the worst of them, it was 30 years ago, and I have no way to prove it.
Sorry – can’t help.
Red or Blue?
Blue.
I lived in New York for a long time, knew a lot of people with show biz connections, so saw lots of folks, shook a number of famous hands. Including Mikhail Baryshnikov (backstage at the Met, after a performance of ABT), Dick Cavett, Sam Waterston, Raul Julia. Once, standing in line to pick up theater tickets, the large fellow in front of me said to the clerk, rather impatiently, “That’s Ustinov.” And spelled it. When I attended the performance, Robert Redford and his then-wife were there.
And once I walked through the set-up for a scene on a Woody Allen movie. There were a whole bunch of folks standing around on the sidewalk, and I looked at the skinny guy in fatigues and said to myself, “Hmm. There’s Woody Allen.” It was somewhere in SoHo, and I think the movie was “Hannah and Her Sisters.”
Don’t know that I’ve dined, per se, with genius. But I once attended a large formal dinner honoring Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, in the days when he was still one of the good guys and considered a bright light of the New Africa. Also present that evening, John Denver. Cute, but short.
As are Ralph Laren and Sylvester Stallone. Neither one higher than 5’6″, is my guess from passing them on the sidewalk.
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis was elegant, even in casual clothes, and the several times I saw her always looked a bit frightened and haunted. As well she might.
Katherine Hepburn got out of a taxi at Park and 71st one day as I walked past. She was old and fragile and shaking from whatever — Parkinson’s? — but still a commanding presence.
I had the good fortune of meeting my hero before I knew he was my hero – Bruno Kreisky – means a lot I’m sure. He was Chancellor of Austria in my youth – my father knew him quite well. If you are so inclined, here is more info: http://www.answers.com/topic/bruno-kreisky
Things don’t work out so well with celebrities and me. When I was three, my mom dropped me over the fence of Elvis’ backyard. When I was six, she shoved me under a police line to get a good “view” of Princess Anne in a motorcade and I just missed getting hit by the car. I still remember the look on the Princesses’ face when I came flying out into the street — she had lovely skin and maintained her composure very well.
There have been many others — John Belushi lit my cigarette just weeks before he died and I can’t even tell you about Nico. I got drunk with Wim Wenders and punched Timothy Leary one time. I was rude to Lyle Lovett at the airport because he seemed to be following me. Bruce Springsteen kept trying to buy me beer and I finally had to get really firm with him. The litany of embarrassing moments is endless.
But the absolute worst is that I was a passenger in a horrible car accident in a vehicle belonging to a major celebrity. He wasn’t involved, one of his kids was driving, but it was an absolute horror show, or maybe a circus. In any event, I’m lying there dying, and nurses are running around all aflutter trying to not ask for his autograph. Also, he played a psycho killer in a movie once, and I had a head injury and that’s the only thing I could place him from. I couldn’t figure out why the hell he was there. All I could think was that he’d come to kill me (he had his hand on my forehead!) and for some reason the nurses were gonna let him!
Hmm… lots of different folks, all over the world, but the ones that stand out are dinner with Bruce Springsteen in LA (his first time in a Japanese steak house), and taking former Congressman David Bonior to a Chinese restaurant (which was a bicycle repair shop by day) in the Cholon district of Ho Chi Minh City.
Former Dallas Star hockey player, now of the Red Wings (to the extent one can be “of them” while on strike). Sadly, I have not actually dined with him. But I did see him at the Stars Club at the former home of the Stars–Reunion Arena–on two consecutive evenings. Each time, I poked him in the shoulder, turned to my friend and said, “I poked Brett Hull!”
It’s a sad life I lead . . .
Nothing as exciting or exotic as many of you here, and especially Albert Einstien, whom I would love to have met.
During the 70’s I was tending bar as a favor for a friend and Stevie Nicks came in. I poured her a beer. She was visiting her british girl friend who was starring at a nearby dinner theater. She was very nice. Just down to earth regular person.