My own private Idaho

The schools have a snow day here in Buffalo. Note to out-of-towners: In Buffalo snow enjoys such importance that it does not have to be present to win. We close things at just the thought of snow! That is what is happening this morning.

My life does not need snowstorms to be exciting. One of the things I love about writing about Leonard Pennario is when you pick up the phone you never know who it will be. And I got such a fascinating phone call yesterday!

This woman called me from Idaho. Which was funny, because I already have a Pennario friend in Idaho, the mysterious pianist we refer to as Mr. Idaho. (Hint: He could be a major, major figure.) I saw the Idaho area code and I assumed it was either Mr. Idaho or Mr. Idaho's girlfriend, whom I have also become friends with. This is how wild my life has become! I have friends in Idaho and I actually know the area code there. It is 208.

That is Idaho pictured above. Mr. Idaho and his girlfriend are in the middle boat.

Back to my phone call yesterday. "Whom am I speaking with?" this woman asked.

I said: "This is Mary."

Then she acted all surprised that I would answer my own phone. Which I loved. Other books, I read all about how authors have assistants and researchers and people who transcribe their interviews. Not me! It is just me at the Leonard Pennario desk. Ring bell for service!

It turned out my caller was a wonderful woman of English ancestry named Nancy. I like that name, Nancy. You do not think about it but it is so 18th century. She told me about how when she was a little girl she was taken to see Pennario play. He was playing the Rachmaninoff Second. It changed her life and she became a lifelong Pennario fan.

Nancy told me many wonderful things but what I got the biggest kick out of was when she said: "He was so handsome."

She added: "And then years later when he had white hair he was still so handsome."

Then she said: "And from reading your blog I see that he was handsome right up to the end. And you got to be in a hot tub with him! I am so jealous!!"

Take that, anonymous commenter the other day with the dirty mind who said that picture was icky! Anonymous commenter, you are icky!

It is probably the same person who suggested yesterday that I don't shovel my sidewalks.