A Night With Johnny Grant - Part Two
When the door to the limo opened, I could only see a pair of legs. It was not until I bent over to climb in that I saw the legs belonged to another permanent A lister who did just as much in as many different forms of media as OG. Lets cal this guy, RP. When I think back to that night which was awhile ago, I always remember the smell of cigarette smoke. It was like a cloud that made everything hazy and surreal. Looking back now I also remember there was no music playing which now I find really strange. I didn't think much of it back then because I was so caught up in the moment. Usually when I hung out with Johnny it was during the day and he would tell me a story or two about the old days in radio or Hollywood or he would tell me which stars showed up wasted to their Walk Of Fame presentations. One of his favorite Walk Of Fame stories was about this former A+ list mostly movie actor who had a wife and offspring who were also A list or close. The actor was drunk and running late and had a girlfriend with him even though his wife was waiting patiently for the ceremony to start. The actor introduced his girlfriend to his wife as the wife of an executive. That was all good until about three weeks later our actor and his wife were at a party and the executive the actor had name dropped was at the party with his real wife. The wife of our A+ lister then accused the executive of cheating and what about the woman she had met two weeks earlier.
Anyway, back to the limo. By the time I sat down I had been handed a drink. There was not any choice about what I was having or how it was going to be served. It was whiskey with one ice cube. One. Never two. never none. Always one. So, I don't forget later, there was a place we went to that night. I didn't know about the one ice cube thing at the time. I know I got a drink with one ice cube in it, but it wasn't until later that I saw what a tyrant OE could be. A waiter brought him a whiskey, but it was on the rocks and OE went after the waiter like he was an idiot and made it very clear that only one ice cube should be used.
When OE went to the bathroom later at that place, RP apologized for OE to everyone at the table and to the waiter and said he actually preferred his drinks to be on the rocks, but it was just better to have one ice cube than to have to listen to crap all night from OE about it.
So, back to the limo and RP hands me a drink and I'm trying to sit and get used to the smoky haze and handle a drink at the same time. We only traveled for about five or ten minutes at the most and I remember not even touching my drink. I was taking it all in. Johnny was reminiscing with OE and RP about the first time they worked together and name dropped just about everyone in Old Hollywood. This was ten minutes of just back and forth. There was never a pause. They never stopped talking or even take a breath. When we pulled up to where we were eating, I looked out and I remember smiling. I thought I was doing it internally, because, it just all fit. OE saw me though and said, something about me smiling and don't waste the whiskey, so I drank it all in one shot while he looked at me. When I finished he just nodded, and said, "Come on."
I have spent a lot of time with a lot of famous people. I have never seen someone walk through a crowd or work a line of people at a valet stand like OE. The guy was part politician, part wizard. I don't remember any paps, but that was not unusual. It was a different time. They would be there on the way out though. I had been to this restaurant many times and I still frequent it once a month or so. I hate the offshoot that former employee started. Hate it and think it is pretentious and more akin to a hotel lobby with its ambiance. People stand at the bar and stare at celebrities walking in like they are bird watchers trying for a big year.
The place I go to and was at so many years ago is so different. There is no pretension. Everyone is on top of each other. Everyone feels like a family. We got a booth. A round booth. It was in a corner. Johnny held me back because OE goes first. He slid around the booth until he was in the middle. He lit a cigarette and put his arms on the back of the booth and just took it all in. Then we were allowed to sit. Waiters rushed up and were respectful but OE was a regular and the guys working his table were all known to him. he joked with them and teased them and you could see a little of the bullying. Drink orders were taken. I could have ordered anything but I just said I will have what OE is having. It could not have been more than a minute after the waiters left that the first of many people stopped by the table. It was also one of the most beautiful women on the planet at the time.
