East Bound And Down - Rest in Peace Burt Reynold

I am at the age when it's not unusual to see favorite movie stars or singers grow old and die.  It's always sad to see a part of our growing up years pass before us.  I was very sad to see Aretha Franklin pass away in  August.   With sadness and just a bit of a smile I saw the photo of her crossed legs and her red stiletto's from the funeral.  And I thought way to go Aretha.  You went out like the diva we all loved you to be.  She was the voice of my generation.  She was an original.   But then today I was having my lunch in a little local bar named, of all things, Dead Freddies and I saw the  news break that Burt Reynolds had died at the age of 82.   It really hit me very hard.  I loved Aretha from a  distance.  But Burt felt like a friend.  He looked down from the big screen with a wink and a silly laugh and you felt like he was talking to you. 

I was living in the Atlanta, Georgia in 1975.  I was in college and saw my first Burt Reynolds movie. It was W. W. and the Dixie Dance Kings.   I saw it at the Steward Lakewood Twin Rocking Chair Cinemas.   I was living in the deep south and here was this movie about the deep south starring this man who was not taking any of it too seriously.  And I immediately became a fan.   I remained a fan through all of his good, bad and indifferent movies.   He remained that friend that I grew up with.   While I lived in Atlanta the Peach Tree Center Weston hotel was under construction.  At that time it was going to be the tallest building in Atlanta.   And to this untraveled young man it was the tallest building I had ever seen.  After the building was completed Burt made one of his better movies in Atlanta and this building was the central character in the movie.  The movie was named Sharky's Machine.  It's a dark movie and not the fun loving Burt I had known.  But I loved the movie.  And today when I watch the movie I still can images of the Atlanta I knew in the 1970's.   And I can see this then new building in all of its glamour. My daughter lives in Atlanta and when I visit we go to the Westin hotel each time and have a glass of wine on the top floor observation tower.  It's all apart of my past that lives with me today.  And Burt is a part of all of that.  He shot the bad guy in that hotel and blew his body out of the window on the top.   And I always tell my daughter that story.  Today my older daughter said we should watch Sharky's Machine over the weekend.  It's that much a part of us. 

Westin Peach tree Center, Atlanta Georgia

While I lived in Atlanta I met my ex wife at college.  We went to the Lakewood Fair Grounds on Stewart Ave and rode on a rickety old roller coaster.  It was scary and looked like it was ready to collapse.   We were married in 1977 and three years later we watched Burt Reynolds take a truck and run into that old roller coaster in Smokey and the Bandit 2.  And we watched it collapse which we had thought it might do when we rode on it.   Burt you have shared so much with me. 

Lakewood Fairground Roller Coaster - Atlanta Georgia

I loved your movies Burt.  I was really emotional when I heard about your passing today.   You were a part of my growing up years and have stayed with me all these years later.  I feel like I lost a part of my youth with you.    I saw Burt at an autograph show two years ago.   He looked ill.     He was sitting in a reclining chair for comfort but he did not look comfortable.   He must have needed the money to sit there and greet fans at his age and in poor health.   He was charging $80 for an autograph and was not allowing any one to take photos with him.  I can understand.  He looked very bad.   He was 80 years old.   But I would have loved to have had a moment to tell him you thank you and how much a part of my life he had been.   However for me $80 was a lot of money.

Me and Beverly D'Angelo at an autograph show

Just across the room from Burt Reynolds was Beverly D'Angelo.  I really like Beverly a lot.  She was charging $35 for an autograph and a photo.  I saved the $45 dollars and went to see Beverly instead of Burt.   We talked.  She was very funny and very kind to her fans.  I asked her to autograph a DVD of the movie Honky Tonk Freeway.  She laughed and told me very few fans bring that one to her for an  autograph.  I told her it was a favorite and then we took our photo.  It was a fun moment.   I'm sorry Burt.   And I truly mourn you today.   I know that if Beverly departs before I do I will feel bad.  I will probably say she was nice and I got to meet her once.   But I won't feel as bad as I did today.   

In Smokey and The Bandit Burt drove a Trans Am to Texas and brought back a load of Coors Beer to the East Coast.   I really hate Coors beer.   I like a real beer.   But tonight I went out to dinner and toasted Burt's memory with a Coors.   It's the least I could after not paying that $80 to meet him.   

East bound and down, loaded up and truckin'

We're gonna do what they say can't be done

We've got a long way to go and a short time to get there.

I'm east bound, just watch ol' "Bandit" run.

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