Crazy Love

The sun had just begun to settle in as the surrounding quiet allowed the waves to be clearly audible from the terrace overlooking the ocean where I was partaking of my routine breakfast in St Barths. Buddy Newell was the furthest thing from my mind. As I turned from the buffet I quite accidently bumped into one Amy Johnson. For those of you who may not know, prior to Dawn, Amy was the woman most likely to drive Buddy crazy. I mean that literally.

Amy and I reminisced about Buddy's private detective techniques and civil liberty violations over breakfast. Many years prior Amy had broken up with Buddy after a tumultuous romance. Buddy it seems did not receive the memo and refused to accept this termination. Instead of actually trying to seduce her back into his arms he convinced himself that another tactic would be more effective. He decided to bug her apartment with a voice activated recorder and continue with visual vehicle surveillance throughout the day from when she went to work until her return (hilarity ensued when he would describe to us his Banachek and Mannix dives behind cars and under trucks to avoid being spotted). Then periodically he would confront her about why she did not want to be with him, as she then pointed out that him following her 24/7 might be a good place to start (she knew all along she was being tailed by a nut).

Probably a good thing TASERS were not available then.

About 10 minutes into laughing and almost crying Amy said to me "look at how you look. Everyone has that look when they remember Buddy". Had not remembered Buddy like that in a while.

Fondness and warmth, amusement and fun took their full expression in the contours of my face, the look in my eyes and the gently upturned corners of my mouth. Those feelings don't come along all that often. Hopefully after reading the post, you to dear reader, may feel almost the same way. We all luvs us a good Buddy story.

Happy New Year to all.

The Writing on the Wall

There are many superstitions and rituals in the world of sports.

Like Roger Clemens touching the plaque of Babe Ruth in Yankee Stadium every time he came in to pitch.

Or Washington Capitals defenseman Karl Alzner tapping the ice 88 times and then tracing the outlines of the Canadian maple leaf before the game.

Next time you may find yourself at the PALM TOO on 2nd Avenue in New York ready for a championship meal, after you enter make a right and stroll over to the third room. Gaze over to the corner on your left. There is our plaque. Touch it for good luck, quietly turn around, return to your table and finish your steak.

It will be the best steak you ever had.

The Currency of Eden

When we were boys we began to understand the value of the word of others. Over time this virtue's importance began to outweigh other characteristics that young people judge one another by like being the most popular or having a nice car or a nice rack (sorry, the rack part actually meant a lot so scratch that). Our perception of this was never really stated or written into our coat of arms. It seemed to simply evolve until Buddy acknowledged its presence by referring to people of such moral fiber as being "on the money".

I doubt I will ever know anyone more "on the money" than Buddy Newell. His word was his bond and he always went above and beyond to honor this code even if doing so meant personal loss when fulfilling commitments and promises to others.

At times he was the person who could least afford this.

Somehow, somewhere, this must be accounted for.

On September 30th, the first anniversary, my hope is that we will be remembering the richest man in Heaven.

As Buddy would tell me about someone when he wanted to bestow them his greatest praise, "my boy was on the money".

Golden slumbers fill your eyes.....

It was once said that the notion of the 'City that never sleeps' does not apply to 3 o'clock in the morning. 

For my entire lifetime of knowing him the one thing that got under his skin more than anything else was traffic. Buddy despised traffic.

When he worked for Normie one of the things he enjoyed about the job (perhaps the only thing) was that his day began at 3am. We used to think it ungodly that anyone should be up at that hour, but he adored the peacefulness and solitude of that time of day. Before rush hour he would have his tasks ouside the office effortlessly behind him which gave him time to think and to enjoy the quiet thoughtful pace of a city that would explode frenetically in just a few short hours.

Whenever you think of New York City at night, dark and sleeping, think of Buddy's smile lighting up the streets.

No doubt there's no traffic in heaven.

This birthday, rest easy my friend.

3.1.09
I am up at 12:26 AM, It is snowing badly and I cannot sleep.
All I keep thinking about is Buddy!!
"Where ya going"
I keep thinking of a memory of when John , Buddy and I drove from Vegas to Scottsdale in a midsize Hertz rental and Buddy sat in the back. His feet were propped up on a suitcase and his head was "All Jammed Up" and he bitched the whole time..
"Eric, why didnt you rent an SUV or something, where ya going?"
I have so many amazing memories of him and he is one of my biggest mentors in my life.
He taught me about loyalty and integrity in business in general.
If he could see what is happening in the world today, he would say.... "Bro, just save your money, and keep your head up".
Buddy was a very special person, he is missed every day.
Sometimes, I call his old cell # just to hear his voice.
I saw him about two weeks before he left us and all he kept saying was " Bro, I have so much passion, I wish people would just realize what I can do for them..."
Buddy, just so you know,
YOU DID SO MUCH FOR EVERYONE WHOSE LIFE YOU TOUCHED
You were truly a genius and I am so lucky to have met you and been a close friend.
I love you Buddy and I hope you are kicking ass up there and slamming on the Blackjack tables in Heaven !
Love E-