The night I met Glen Campbell

photo by Chandra

One of the most interesting jobs I’ve had during the years was with a p/r firm in Los Angeles during my thirties. We were attached to a large record company, working with rock bands and musicians, plus our own clients — some of whom were famous.

Glen Campbell was a client and I was asked to attend one of his television shoots while he was at the height of his career. It happened to be his

Glen Campbell

birthday that night so we ordered a large birthday cake for the occasion. I noted he and I were born in the same year, but that was all we had in common. Unfortunately, when they gave out talent in 1936, he got a lot and I got short-changed.

A young Glen Campbell

What do I recall about that night? The first thing I noticed was a huge wooden barrel full of ice and drinks, mostly beer — and plenty of liquor. Who provided that? And, just who, I wondered, were all these guys standing around doing nothing but smoking and drinking — a lot! Friends? Hangers-on? I had no clue. Later I learned Campbell struggled with alcohol and drug addictions at the time.

Now, I’m a gal who hasn’t ever even been drunk. Honest. I’m crazy sober and don’t need to drink. I may pose occasionally with a glass of wine, but that’s about as far as it goes. A dear friend had once described in horrific detail what a hangover felt like and it didn’t seem worth it. So, as you can imagine, I NOTICED the drinking that night.

Wife #1, Diane Kirk

Campbell had many hits. Among my favorites: ‘By the Time I get to

#2, Billie Jean Nunley

Phoenix’, ‘Gentle on my Mind’ and ‘Rhinestone Cowboy’. He accumulated six Grammies and dozens of other awards during his long career. He also accumulated wives and children: Diane Kirk, 1955-1959, (daughter Debbie), Billie Jean Nunley, 1959-1976, (daughter Kelli, sons Travis and Kane) and Sarah Barg Davis (who had been his friend Mac Davis’s wife) 1976-1980, (son Dillon).

#3 Sarah Barg Davis

Finally, in 1982 he married the former Kimberly Woolen, a dancer, whom he often said helped him get his life in order. That marriage lasted for over thirty years until the very end. They had three children (sons Cal and Shannon and daughter Ashley).

#4 Kimberly Woolen

Campbell died at 81 in Nashville in 2017, after living with Alzheimer’s for some years. His wife Kim and the rest of his large complex family are still battling in court over his estate. A sad end for a real talent.

I’ve been luckier. I’m still around making trouble and enjoying every day.

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Are they out to get me?

Are they out to get me?

It’s all Brian’s fault. He had this fabulous guide put out by Harvard Medical School called ‘A Guide to Cognitive Fitness’. I read it with interest while I was his house guest. It offers ‘6 steps to optimizing brain function and improving brain health’.

My brain still functions well enough for me to realize I need help in that area, so I was determined to put into practice some of the suggestions the brilliant people at Harvard had to offer.

It told you what to expect of your brain after 50, 60, 70, or 80. What was Brian doing reading about the aging brain? Was he just telling me I’m getting forgetful? To me, the guy was still a kid. Then I realized that while I’d been aging, so had he and everyone else. I wasn’t the only one interested in the aging brain!

Did I make it up or did it really say it was normal for my age to lose some of your short-term memory? That gave me a sense of relief. I’m normal. I would have liked to swipe the darn book so I could show that line to everyone I know, but you can’t do that when you’re someone’s guest.

Okay, my memory ain’t what it used to was, what now? It suggests learning or doing something new. I gave that thought. What can I do that’s new, interesting and fun?

I had already started to learn about Facebook, which I think, for the most part, is the biggest waste of time. (How many photos of someone’s lunch does one need to see?) However, the wise members of my book club had encouraged me to continue, because, said they: ‘It’s good to learn something new.’ (Were they giving me a message too??)

I’d never done crosswords

Something new? Something I’ve never done? Ah, crosswords. I’ve never done crosswords even though I love words. I decided to try. I had a friend who used to do the New York Crossword Puzzle completely every morning. He told me you got to learn how the guys who write them think and once you did, it got easier. Aha!

I found a crossword for dummies in a local newspaper. Well, it wasn’t called that, but it was easy enough and my friend was right, I got to know the words whoever wrote them liked to use. Even someone with my brain capacity could feel clever. I WAS able to finish them, except when they cheated by using names of athletes or actors I didn’t know. (My ten-year-old grandson could be a great resource for athletes, he knows them all — in case YOU need help with those.)

I learned something else. When I couldn’t find one or two words on the crossword and left it next to my coffee cup on the table, when I got back to it later or the next day, I COULD finish it. How come? I wonder why. (If you know, do let me know. I’m curious.)

So, why am I upset? What happened to that newspaper? Why can’t I find it all this week. I’ve looked everywhere I know they usually are and they’re not there. Is it a plot? A plan to confound my brain before it’s ready to go further?

They won’t win

THEY won’t win, I tell you! I won’t let them. I’m a fighter. I’m going to try harder ones, the kind real people are able to do. If I can’t finish them, I’ll just write in any letters I want in the blank spaces. Ha-ha! That’ll confuse them — then if they ARE out to get me, they won’t get  the satisfaction of knowing that they’ve accomplished their mission.

Wish me luck.