Date posted: October 4, 2008 - Saturday
Title: Lost Opportunities
Current mood: nostalgic and disappointed
I have been thinking all week about the passing of an actor. Paul Newman died last Saturday.
All week long there have been articles about his career and his life. There was even an article on our local sports page by a racing writer about his meeting with Newman and the rainy afternoon they spent together at a track.
I have no personal stories about Paul Newman. I have enjoyed his movies over the years but outside of being a fan of his acting and an admirer of his charitable work, I never met the man.
Paul Newman to me always represented a missed opportunity.
A long time ago I had an idea for a movie. I had watched "The Sting" and read articles that speculated on the possibility of Paul Newman and Robert Redford working together again. And the idea I had was a movie that both Newman and Redford could star in. I had an idea for a story which I thought would appeal to each of them.
I held no illusions. I knew the movie would never get made. I knew I would never have the chance to pitch it to anyone. It was just another dream, or maybe fantasy, I held about my writing. But it was also a missed opportunity because I never followed up on the idea, never developed it and never made the effort.
So, beyond the passing of a man who gave of himself both professionally and personally
