Written by Phil

I actually got to meet River. Very unexpectedly. I was working in the box office in a music hall in San Francisco one night for an Ella Fitzgerald concert. The date was, as I recall, 30 November 1991, and this was the last concert she was ever to be in, in San Francisco. People were in line to pick up their tickets. They were the lucky ones. There was a line of people also waiting for last minute releases of tickets or for some other miracle. About 30 minutes before the concert began a man appeared at my window and asked for tickets for "Phoenix". Well, my heart jumped into my throat as I scanned the line behind this guy and saw a poorly disguised River (he was dressed way down and had what appeared to be a knitted, old looking hat with ear flaps on it and he was standing with a girl who later was introduced to me as Sue. Of course, I figured I'd know if there were tickets waiting for River, and as I turned my attention back to the man in front of me I felt a panicky feeling because I knew there were no tickets waiting and the concert was sold out. I told him (he turned out to be Sky Phoenix, an uncle, he said) that I was very sorry but I had no record of tickets being held under the name of Phoenix. He was very nice about it and as he summoned River up to the window (my hands were shaking by this time) he told me that the person who was supposed to arrange for the tickets was in the Carribean and perhaps didn't make the arrangements. As River came up to the window, Sky introduced him to me and said, "Smile for the man, River." Well, River smiled and I swear that the whole room lit up! Such a beautiful smile! I 'found' some tickets that "Ms. Fitzgerald's guests won't be using" and told them I was sorry that arrangements hadn't been made but that I had two nice tickets that they were most welcome to buy at $75 each. Wonderful! So Sky pulled out River's Optima card to pay for the tickets. Unfortunately, I had to tell them that the theatre I worked for doesn't take American Express cards. So River said, "Just give the man cash, Sky." Well, neither River nor Sky had any cash in their pockets, so they asked me if there was an ATM nearby. I gave directions to one which was very close and told them I would definitely save the tickets for them. So they left and some woman from the waiting line who overheard our conversation actually came up to my window and asked how it was that I had tickets for River but not for anyone else! Can you imagine! Well, I waited for them to come back for what seemed like an interminable time. Finally, they returned about 5 minutes before curtain time and said the ATM wouldn't give them any money! Then Sky asked if I would let River and Sue into the concert and he would go back to the hotel and get cash. Further, he had River give me his driver's license and Optima card which I could hold until Sky came back with the money. Needless to say, I was perfectly happy to agree to that. River kept thanking me and asking if there was anything he could do to return the favor. I told him I would love to have an autograph. He proceeded to write a very nice note to me which he signed. I was thrilled! He smiled once again and went into the concert with Sue. I immediately ran to the copy machine and made a few copies of his driver's license! When Sky came back, he gave me the money, I gave him River's driver's license and credit card and he thanked me once again and asked me if there was anything he could do for me since I helped River out. I asked him if he would please send me a signed picture of River and, furthermore, would he please send pictures to my other friends who were working in the box office that evening. He gave me a call sheet from the movie that River was making in San Francisco at the time. That movie was "Sneakers". Sky wanted me to have something that no one else would ever have. He also assured me that my friends and I would have our pictures.

Thank you, Sky (I got the picture and so did my friends.) Thanks so much, River, for the thrill of my life. I will never, ever forget you.

Love, Phil philrjp@sirius.com
BAD EMAIL ADDRESS....we are still looking for Phil......