The lounge was large, but not very crowded. It was loosely divided into many sections with comfortable furniture for VIPs to relax in, far superior to the waiting areas near the gates.
The young groom had access to the VIP lounge through his employer. The six or eight of us found some chairs and gathered around in a circle to talk and partake of some free refreshments.
As I didn't know any of this bunch (other than Bonnie) very well, I was pretty quiet. As such, my eyes began to wander. Then I noticed straight ahead of me, sitting alone on a couch, intently watching television (exactly what, I couldn't see) was the Academy Award winning actor Ernest Borgnine.
I immediately thought of Fatso Judson (From Here to Eternity), Donnegan (Vera Cruz), Coley Trimble (Bad Day at Black Rock) and especially Marty Piletti (Marty). But, on that day he was just Ernest Borgnine, watching TV like a regular person.
I just froze, did nothing. I should have taken advantage of this once in a lifetime opportunity to talk to him, even if briefly. Instead, I was overcome with fear. He wouldn't want to talk to me. He was busy. He would bite my head off for disturbing him. So, I just stayed where I was. And eventually we left the VIP lounge. My opportunity gone.
Years later I read Ernest Borgnine's autobiography. And I saw him being himself in videos on YouTube. He was the opposite of what I had imagined back in '67.
Ernest Borgnine was a kind, unassuming man who enjoyed interacting with the public. In a 1995 video, after entering a restaurant while on a road trip with his son, he freely signed autographs for all the waitresses. Borgnine then shook hands with multiple patrons before finally siting down at a table to eat. In his last interview, when asked about life lessons, he said, "Be nice to people."
Any potential opportunity for me to interact with Ernest Borgnine ended forever when he died at ninety-five years of age on July 8, 2012 (forty-five years after we were "together" at the VIP lounge). Life Lesson: All opportunities should be taken advantage of.
I immediately thought of Fatso Judson (From Here to Eternity), Donnegan (Vera Cruz), Coley Trimble (Bad Day at Black Rock) and especially Marty Piletti (Marty). But, on that day he was just Ernest Borgnine, watching TV like a regular person.
I just froze, did nothing. I should have taken advantage of this once in a lifetime opportunity to talk to him, even if briefly. Instead, I was overcome with fear. He wouldn't want to talk to me. He was busy. He would bite my head off for disturbing him. So, I just stayed where I was. And eventually we left the VIP lounge. My opportunity gone.
Years later I read Ernest Borgnine's autobiography. And I saw him being himself in videos on YouTube. He was the opposite of what I had imagined back in '67.
Ernest Borgnine was a kind, unassuming man who enjoyed interacting with the public. In a 1995 video, after entering a restaurant while on a road trip with his son, he freely signed autographs for all the waitresses. Borgnine then shook hands with multiple patrons before finally siting down at a table to eat. In his last interview, when asked about life lessons, he said, "Be nice to people."
Any potential opportunity for me to interact with Ernest Borgnine ended forever when he died at ninety-five years of age on July 8, 2012 (forty-five years after we were "together" at the VIP lounge). Life Lesson: All opportunities should be taken advantage of.
You could have asked him what he wanted to do. Then, he could have said "I don't know Bubbie, what do YOU want to do?"
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