Back from the Nick memorial, a beautiful affair in the commissary of the soon about to be not Twentieth Century Fox - they're already painting over the signs there. Julie Kirgo, Nick's wife, put together a perfect program with just the right number of speakers and just a few moments musical. I was up after the first speaker, Nick's brother. I got through the song (Hushabye Mountain, which was Nick and daughter Rebecca's song) okay, but twice I really had to be strong because Rebecca was sitting just a few feet in front of me weeping her eyes out - I basically had to look over her or I really would have lost it completely. Later, I kind of did when she hugged me and especially when Julie hugged me and said, "He loved you so much." I loved him dearly and I know he would have loved the evening. There were about 150 people there, including a couple of folks that surprised me, since I know Nick did not like them, but Julie, who is the sweetest woman, took pity on them and let them come.
I knew lots of folks there, so I chatted, mostly before, and then a little bit after, my favorite chat being with Diane Baker, who came up to me to tell me how much she liked the song, how she loves getting the Kritzerland CD announcements, and how much fun we had doing the signing shows we did at the same time - neither of us would go anywhere near them now because they've turned into something awful. More in the notes.
