What price friendship?

[DFW]

I am on what was supposed to be a 3 day trip to America. I had some stuff to do here, and extended it
for an extra day to visit with my sister and my elder daughter. I was supposed to be back in Germany
on Monday morning. Today, here in New York City, I just learned that an old friend of mine is celebrating
his 85th birthday with a concert at Carnegie Hall (!!) Monday night, and will be having such guests as
Arlo Guthrie and Tom Paxton and a bunch of others. I called him up on his cell phone and he had just
landed in New York and asked me to be there on Monday night as well (he had no idea I was going to be
in New York in June). The trouble is, I was REALLY supposed to go back to Europe Sunday night. My wife
expects me back, my job expects me back, and it will cost me an extra $1200 to change my plane reservation
and get two more nights of hotels and food in New York.

On the other hand, he IS 85. He still has all his marbles (and quite a singing voice) and is one of my
four 80-something friends I consider to be personal heroes. This man was born in Vienna, Austria, has
recorded I don't know HOW many albums of songs, has sung the lead in Fiddler on the Roof, has played
in films with Humphrey Bogart, Alan Arkin, acted in TV series like Dynasty and Law and Order. I mean he
has been around. He may not be as famous as the other three, but that's a generational thing. The older
people on DU might have heard his name, or at least some of them, anyway.

Common sense tells me to cut out the foolishness, call him back with my regrets and get my ass back
overseas on schedule. My heart tells me to tell practicality to go to hell, that no one lives forever,
and that I'll regret it for the rest of my life if I don't stay, especially since Theo ASKED me to
stay.

I have some serious thinking to do tonight, and some serious phone calls tomorrow if I decide to be
foolish. I am sorely tempted to be foolish.

[Haole Girl]

1. I say go for it!

Life is short. :hi:

[skygazer]

2. See, I wouldn't call that foolish

You're in town, you can extend it and this is your friend and a personal hero of yours who ASKED you to be there.

I can't imagine not staying.

[madinmaryland]

3. A couple of phone calls to your wife and your boss may solve the problem

and let you see your friend.

Enjoy your evening in NYC!

[InvisibleTouch]

4. Well, that made me think of this song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rk2HuPbPxLE

Not entirely in synch with your situation, but since you are a German in New York, it was the first thing that came to mind. And I think the ultimate message is appropriate: take the opportunity and go for it. :)

[DFW]

13. Actually, I'm a Texan in New York

My wife is German (we do live in Germany). She has ways to make me talk.

Me? We'uns got ways to make y'all talk.

[NJmaverick]

5. Go for it, or you will live with regret

[Suich]

6. Well, I've certainly heard of him! Used to have some of his albums!

Go for it, by all means!!!



:hi:

[Blue Diadem]

7. IIWY, I'd go see him.

If he's who I think he is, I wouldn't miss the chance and since he's your friend and up there in years, I say go for it. Celebrate with him and have a good time.

Darn you know some very interesting talented people.

[DFW]

23. I'm part of an interesting group. They tolerate my presence as token mortal, I think

http://www.renaissanceweekend.org/site/home.htm;jsessionid=4BC638229E2021B606E2D013C21A5B4B

If you check the list of participants, you will definitely NOT see my name there, as token
mortals are welcome, but not noted. Frankly, I think the acceptance committee must have been
bored the day my name came up for consideration, as I have certainly not accomplished anything
like what most of the people who attend.

[nuxvomica]

8. This is a no-brainer. Go to your friend's concert.

The other things are easier to accommodate but the concert is immovable. And it will probably be pretty awesome, too.

[Shell Beau]

9. If you have the money (or can stand to be set back a little), go for it!!!!

I think you will regret not going. Your wife will either understand or get over it eventually. Your job-- the same as your wife. Go have you some fun in NYC!!!!!!

[CrownPrinceBandar]

10. Go to the concert................

Friendship trumps foolishness.

edit: I remember your friend from Star Trek: TNG. He was Worf's dad.

[DFW]

24. You're right. I never knew that

But I had pretty much left the States before that series came out (overseas posting
since the fall of 1979). I had to look up who Worf was!

[merh]

11. Stay and enjoy the concert and celebrate with your friend.

You wife will understand, she knows who he is and what his friendship means to you.

have fun

[Tuesday Afternoon]

12. If you can afford it, go for it ---

what does the wife and boss say?

[DFW]

16. I can afford it--that's the easy part!

My immediate superior is also the very top of the food chain, so to speak. I'm station chief for
Europe, so he's not the problem. It's all the Europeans who were expecting to see me Monday and
Tuesday that might not be so understanding.

As for my wife, well, I'll know that one when I call her tomorrow. We have tickets to an Eagles
concert in Köln Wednesday night, so as long as I make it back for that, I think she'll be OK with
it. She knows Theo, too. One New Year's eve, after ringing in the new year, Theo came up to me and
said "hey, grab a guitar. We will go sing some Russian songs!" And so we went off to some abandoned
meeting room in the hotel, just him, me and my wife, and we sang Russian songs for an hour. It was
a concert some would have paid dearly to hear, and the only ones who ever heard it were my wife and
two janitors from Charleston, South Carolina, who had no clue as to what they were hearing, or who
it was, singing there with me with me.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

18. I think your wife will tell you to go for it and I think the

Europeans will understand. If they don't, heck with them. The man is 85 for landsake! They would do the same thing, don't you think?

[flvegan]

14. If you have the $, I vote for foolish.

[DeepBlueC]

15. you will never have this opportunity again

It would be foolish not to take it. He is 85. Please. :toast:

[DFW]

17. I know. That's the part that's weighing heavily

And he's only the third oldest of the four (Helen Thomas and Stan Lee are older).

[DeepBlueC]

20. I never quite get over my regrets

They don't decline and disappear, they keep popping up unprompted as keen and fresh as the first pangs. Or maybe that's just me. This isn't an indulgence; it's closer to a human obligation. If you can, you must.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

19. Another vote for foolish here...Treasure your friendship.

It's a rare gift.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

21. My God, my dear DFW!

For Heaven's sake, GO!

An opportunity like this will never present itself again!

GO!


:woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:

[Kali]

22. your post indicates which action would cause you regret for the rest of your life

stay and go to the celebration.

[abq e streeter]

25. I'm agreeing with everyone else, for god's sake, go--

I can't imagine how your wife and/or boss wouldn't understand. And that's absolutely awesome that Theodore Bikel is an old friend of yours. That's just too cool. Go and have a GREAT time.

[DFW]

26. I'll know in about 12 hours whether or not this will work.

Here is a recent pic of us, his wife, Tamara, and a couple of friends
(you can see what Theo looks like these days--pretty good for a guy in his eighties!):

[madeline_con]

27. Theodore Bikel: The First 85 Years? You gotta go!!!!!

85th Birthday Celebration with Friends and Colleagues

Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage
Monday, June 15, 2009 at 7:30 PM

[DFW]

28. This must have gotten some PR somewhere

I didn't even know.

Decision in about 4 hours. The sentiment on DU seems to be unanimous!

[madeline_con]

40. Carnegie Hall publishes their scheduled events online.

No biggie looking it up. :hi:

[DFW]

41. I'm sure they do

The thing about this is that 3 weeks ago, I didn't even know I was coming to America, so
I certainly wasn't on the lookout for things going on here. I didn't tell a lot of people,
and if my brother-in-law hadn't told me about the event, I never would have thought to look,
let alone call Theo to tell him I would be here. It's all a big confluence of coincidences.
An astrologer would probably have a field day with it.

[timtom]

29. Theo Bikel?

[DFW]

30. That's the man

The one and only.

[timtom]

31. I have several of his albums

Did several of his songs in the sixties.

[DFW]

33. His voice is as strong as ever, too

Someone could make fortune if they could duplicate his genes.

[timtom]

35. He was also my favorite Captain von Trapp.

He made me feel Jewish through his music, much as Isaac Bashevis Singer did through his stories.

Pincus? So pious he wore TWO yarmulkes? Sure. I can relate...wait a minute: I'm not Jewish.

In the early sixties I wanted to go live on a kibbutz for a while just from the album covers.

I envy your friendship with such a great man and entertainer.

[peacefreak]

32. Another vote for friendship.

He looks strong & vital, but at the age of 85 every day is a gift. A while back I visited a dear older friend. We had a wonderful visit, said a lot of important things. Less than a week later I was back at her deathbed, kissing her brow & saying goodbye.
I'm not being morbid, but you are being given a gift. Hopefully the people in your circle will understand it's about the human connection, not the concert. (and send him our regards!)

[DFW]

34. Done deal!

I was inclined to do this anyway, but the unanimous votes from the Loungers helped me talk myself
into it (well, that and phone calls with Dr. Ruth and Theo LOL!!).

[InvisibleTouch]

37. Excellent! You made the right choice.

Now go and enjoy. :)

[DeepBlueC]

36. :::::::::::::: ~DFW~ ::::::::::::::::

You go and have a GREAT time!May I ask you to post a full and chatty report please, with pics if possible? I am very excited for you.

:fistbump: :fistbump: :fistbump: :fistbump: :fistbump:

[DFW]

38. You will get your report, I promise!

As for pictures--well, remember, I had no idea about this until after I got here, so I didn't
bring a camera, expecting a routine trip. My daughter has one, though, and I invited her along,
as she knows Theo, too. Dr. Ruth is also a music fan (as well as a friend of Theo's) and she
told me where she would be sitting. When I walked up to Carnegie Hall today to buy my tickets,
I asked if there were any available near where Dr. Ruth is sitting. As it turns out, the ones
right next to her were free, so I grabbed them, but didn't tell her. She is in for a surprise
on Monday evening.

[DeepBlueC]

39. talk about Intelligent Design!

Clearly this was meant to be! ;) :fistbump:

[DFW]

42. Hmmm, I was just addressing that (now Monday morning)

A few weeks ago, I didn't even know I was coming over here, and even then, it was
supposed to be a quick 3 day trip. I learned about Theo's thing 48 hours before I
was supposed to be back on the plane to Europe. If Theo hadn't just landed and
been on the other end of the phone when I called, and asked me to come, I might
have just left a message of greetings and congratulations, and been back in Germany
as of a few hours ago.

Anyway, I'm still here in New York, and happy it turned out this way!

I don't know about intelligent design, but good joss for sure!