Monday Apr 28, 2003

I had sat down with my cappuccino, took out my drawing pencils and went to work. I was in the Starbucks across from the Beverly Center on La Cienega in Los Angeles.

It was sunny with clear blue skies—a vibrantly beautiful afternoon.

As I began my artwork, I heard someone say: “Excuse me.”

I looked up. A friendly black man looked back.

He told me he loved art and that he had studied art in Paris years ago when he was a young man.

I invited him to join me.

As we spoke, I found out that he was Jack Hammer, a songwriter who was most famous for Great Balls of Fire and the Ballad of James Dean.

I told him I knew a company in the midst of developing a film about James Dean.  But, the film company was dealing with the Dean estate and that usually meant long delays at best. I offered to make an introduction as he might write a song for the movie. He shrugged, thanked me for the offer, and handed me his card.

A moment later, a dark, attractive girl sat at the table right next to us.

Jack immediately complimented the girl on her looks and said that if he had art supplies, he would do a portrait of her. She smiled.

I said: “Jack, be my guest.” I gave him a pencil and my bristol paper pad.

Jack smiled, took the materials and began roughing out her profile. As I worked on my piece, I would look to see how Jack was doing.  After about a half hour, he had drawn quite a good likeness of the girl.

He showed her the drawing. She giggled.

“Jack,” I said. “That’s great.”

He shook his head back and forth as if he were singing inside his head.

Then, an impulse took over. I said: “Now that you did this drawing, I’d like to have it. In return, here’s my pad and you can do another for the lady.”

I think my bold request took Jack by surprise. He nodded okay.

I took the drawing and thanked him.

Jack and I shook hands. I waved goodbye as Jack began another sketch of the girl.

What a wonderful encounter, I thought.

Great Balls of Fire!»