NOT SO FAR AWAY

Amazing how tightly woven the world has become. Last night at a party, we met some neighbors - the husband's sister lives in the next town over from where I grew up. We met another couple from the next town over from where Terri grew up. (Both towns at least 1500 miles from here.)

When we came home and walked the dog, I heard Willie Nelson singing about 2 miles from here at an outdoor venue.

One day in Minneapolis we came within a mile or two of President Bush as he was in Air Force One (fantastic sight, btw.) flying out of the airport.

I know I've been within a mile of President Clinton when he visited Minneapolis - based on where he was speaking and where I was at the time.

In Montreal, the Canadian Prime Minister's WIFE (separated) lived somewhere above me in my building. Guy LeFleur parked in my building there, as the Montreal Forum was right across the street. All the stars who played there in concerts or games were - what - 200 yards from me in my apartment.

I was talking to a woman the other day while waiting for my car to be serviced and she told me she had seen Sarah Bullock down the street at Starbucks.

I spoke with Jimmy Kimmel at a friend's party in LA.

John Belushi pushed his way through a crowd and brushed by me at a convention, apologizing as he went.

Dan Rather and Jane Fonda both were in the hall outside my office in Buffalo, as they were visiting the attached TV station. (Different visits.)

Jim Haslett (former coach of the New Orleans Saints), Chuck Knox, Scotty Bowman, all worked for me at that station in Buffalo. So did Warren Moon while in Houston.

I read today that singer Jack Ingram is opening Texas dates for Sheryl Crow. I haven't met him yet but he's building a house just down the street. His neighbors include The Undertaker - a wrestler; and a Heisman Trophy winner. Another award winning singer - Larry Gatlin, lives 3 houses away.

Met about all the country stars from 1993 to 1998 or so. Had dinners with several. Clint Black, Shania Twain, come to mind. Lunch with Sara Evans and others.

Josh Groban, Jessica Simpson, Michael McDonald, Donnie Osmond, Duran Duran, Dave Koz --- the parade of folks outside my office door or our studio was long, while in Minneapolis.

Many more if I'd think about it long enough.

Marty Feldman google eyed me through the glass in Montreal at that radio station. Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart. Donald Sutherland had coffee with us.

I sat beside Sly Stone at a club, right next to him at his keyboard (though I was behind a rack, but that close.)

I worked with The Turtles on top of a custard stand at an amusement park (providing the sound system.)

So the story is the tightly wound world... and how in it the famous travel everywhere, ARE everywhere, sometimes colliding, paralleling, and touching the lives of the rest of us.