Paul is Dead                                                                                                           October 6, 2008

I noted that the wonderfully talented actor and passionate race car driver Paul Newman passed away last week after battling cancer.  Aside from those talents and hobbies he had, he was a pretty fair philanthropist, giving away millions of dollars of profit from his salad dressing company to charities around the country.

It was interesting to watch as famous actors remembered him on various television programs. I'll add a family memory to the mix.  For several years when my Dad was alive and in the restaurant business in Astor, Florida, and always during race week at Daytona, Paul would quietly enter the restaurant wearing his sunglasses and sit facing the river with his back to the rest of the restaurant.  Dad and Mom were always careful to give famous people some space and not make over them any more than a regular customer.  Mom said he returned to eat for several years in a row, enjoying the peace and quiet and the view of the St. Johns River, until one of the servers could not contain herself and ask if he was really him.

Paul Newman will be missed for his acting and his humanity.

And to my friends who remain, thanks for stopping by.

God Speed.

Older than Dirt