Just got off the phone with Ray. We're to come over Wednesday (with the sculptor) to get some footage for the Fr Electrico project.

On Father's Day I called Ray, who, besides the usual books and plays, is hard at work saving libraries and said he had saved two in the last several weeks.

"The Word Love"--both a Beatles song and one of Ray Bradbury's stories in The Martian Chronicles, where that is the only word to come through in an earth-to-Mars conversation, and close to my last two conversations with him.

I called him on July 3 and, as usual, he first asked, "What have you been doing?" I answered, "Too much gardening and not enough writing, ha-ha." I don't know if he understood me, he just sort of laughed.

I told him I called to ask if he had met or knew any of the Beatles. Between my cell phone and his speaker phone, he didn't understand the question. Finally a man with him had to repeat it. (Thanks, whoever you are!) He said, "Yes, I met the drummer," and pretty much repeated the story Richard posted here a few years ago. He didn't mention taking his teenage daughters to a David Bowie concert or Ringo being backstage, but did say, "When he found out I was there he ran across the room so fast to meet me he tripped over a chair"! I said, "That is SO COOL!" and laughed and laughed.

Well, my opinion of Ringo just jumped 1000%. Apparently Ray's daughters' opinion of him jumped quite a bit at the time as well. I don't know when David Bowie started giving concerts, but Ray's oldest daughter turned 13 pre-Beatles and his last one turned 20 in 1978, so this meeting can be placed between these dates.

I also tried to ask if he ever met Michael Jackson, and he said something about "enjoying a film of his" and I asked if he meant the "Thriller" video but from his remarks I couldn't tell if we were talking about that or maybe a film of Ringo's. Finally Ray just said, "Write me a letter" and I said I'd be glad to. If he answers maybe we can straighten out these matters, if not also fine.

Just got off the phone with Ray, calling to wish him a happy Bastille day!