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Everything was set for the Superman Week Ceremony and Luncheon.
I made a last-minute check with the guests and made menu selections;
Armand checked on the scrolls and parking arrangements.
I was making some changes to the web site when the phone rang.
It was Dabbs Greer. He apologized... telling me that for health
reasons he'd be unable to attend the ceremony and luncheon after
all. I've been corresponding with Dabbs for twenty-two years
but we'd never met, so naturally, I was disappointed.
"But," he added, "there's no reason you can't
visit me if you have some time."
My face brightened considerably. "I'm traveling with
Lisa and a friend from New York (Lou)."
"Bring them along. When I first started writing to you
Lisa was about nine. I'd like to meet her. And Lou is welcome
too."
So on Monday, soon after we arrived in Los Angeles, these
adventurers set out for our encounter with the guy hanging from
the rope... Joe Winters... Mr. Pebble/Dan Dobey.
I had warned Dabbs that when he opens the door he should be
ready for a hug from me, and that's exactly what he got. And
after the initial excitement, he invited us into his home where
we talked for more than two hours. We talked about Superman,
George Reeves, The Green Mile, his boyhood, his "misdirected"
career, and on and one. He showed interest in our lives as well,
and when he looked at recent pictures of my grandchildren, marveled
at their growth as he might his own.
His stories were always fun and interesting. Dabbs has an
easy laugh and a mischievous sense of humor. I kept thinking
that he and George must have had some good times.
Before we left he graciously provided time for pictures. But
even if he hadn't, that was a day I'll never forget. |
