“Dressed In Her Best” oil painting by KSR
On a cold rainy day some years ago, we sat with our daughter in a charming small Mexican restaurant in Malibu, Ca. Malibu is notable for Pepperdine University and the Colony, which is a collection of homes on the expensive sand of the Pacific Ocean where many luminous or formerly luminous movie stars dwell. Sorry, but those who are star-struck or who merely wish to dip a quick toe in the ocean are prohibited.
They say that one of Johnny Carson’s prospective wives walked in front of his house a number of times until she was noticed. You see what persistence can bring?
On the particular day we were dining, my eyes were attracted to a pair of boots on a man who had just entered the restaurant. I did not look further than his legs which were bare. He was wearing a short raincoat over a pair of shorts even though it was raining. They were great boots and I remember that I had seen them on someone on TV awhile back. I guess I was staring at the boots, wondering how I could find a pair, when my daughter told me to stop staring; it was Larry Hagman!
It was the end of football season, and the USC-UCLA game was on the large TV in the back of the restaurant, so Dr. Advice went over to watch it. Our daughter assumed that he was on his way to talk to Larry Hagman and was horrified. “Oh no, he’s NOT going to talk to him is he?” Let it be known that though my husband is an energetic conversationalist, he would never be so crass as to purposely engage a local movie star in anything more than a nod of the head.
However, Mr. Hagman had chosen to watch the football game at the same time, and the two men had a grand conversation, mostly about their mutual love of fishing. His wife was also an artist and had painted fish scenes all over the plastic raincoat he had purchased at L.L.Bean. When he found that I was an artist, he came and insisted that we join him and his family and discuss my furnishing my husband with the same raincoat.
I found out that his very attractive boots were UGG boots which I had not heard of 15 years ago. The men traded good fishing spots, Dr. Advice sent him ajar of our fine smoked salmon, and we returned to our daughter and our lunch. Who said you shouldn’t speak to local celebrities?
Pachofa-Unfinished 
Well, there you go. Fame after all, and united through Ugg boots. I still wear my first pair of RM Williams. An iconic brand of Australian fashion wear now part of Louis Vuitton empire. My boots are now 17 years old and still walking all over.
Good story.
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I bought my own pair of UGG boots which took me half an hour to decide upon. They were very cool and I knew they were a great fashion statement. I brought them home, put them in my closet where they resided for a month or two, and then took them back where I bought them, I bought a pair of “waffle-stompers” and wore them for 10-12 years. When they began looking pretty ratty, I made a sculpture of them.
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Kayti, Three Feathers, I remember your ceramic saying that you made my parents. It hung in our house.They then took it back to Washington, where it hung in the pantry.
It said, ” Don’t judge a man, until you have walked a mile in his moccasins” I loved the photo of the little girl in your story. “As we have a lot of learn from our younger generation also.” Tootsie
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Hi Marylin, Thanks so much for your comment. That little saying would serve us all well if we think about it.
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I have not seen the boots of Mr. Hagman but I have seen the boots of Mickey Rooney with his feet in them. and was also told not to speak to him, but by chance he spoke to me first and we spent the next half hour discussing favorite cars.
I liked your story and your telling of the layers of story points and can identify with how we all become both socially focused and resistant to the adventure of just being alive and engaging.
Nice posting
John
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Once in the grocery store in Malibu we ran into George C. Scott (whom I will forever call General Patton), He had his grocery cart filled with vodka, and quite liked Dr. Advice’s Detroit Tiger baseball cap. Sparky Anderson was his good friend, and was the manager of the Detroit team. They had a long conversation about baseball. All it takes sometimes is a common interest.
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Wonderful painting, Kayti. You really do have a gift.
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I return the kind compliment!
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I’m intrigued by the idea of Larry Hagman wearing fishes on his raincoat and ugg boots. Jeannie would never have let him out like that 🙂
The painting of the little girl is amazing. Really superb work!!! xx
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I never bought Dr Advice the plastic raincoat so I didn’t have to paint those fishes. I looked terrible in the UGG boots too. xx00
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How did I miss the UGG boots? Sometimes I think I just don’t pay enough attention. But, even though I’m up to speed on the boots now, I still am most taken with your painting of the girl. It’s simply entrancing. Her self-possession is evident, and the directness of her gaze is all too rare in our world. It’s a wonderful painting.
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Thanks for your kind words Linda. I enjoyed painting her dear little hands. Baby hands and feet fascinate me with their careless simplicity.
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