Ralph L Roberts.com

Talk time. "Paula said Lee’s coming out for a few weeks." "Yes, she asked me if I would meet him every morning at then o’clock, drive several hours outside of Reno, have lunch, and then return in time to meet all of you for the dinner hour. Me loves the desert, and there are so many spectacular sights within two hours of Reno." "I’m so happy he’s coming – it’ll be wonderful seeing him. How exciting for you, Raffe, to have so much time to spend with him. There’s hardly an actor in the world who wouldn’t give his eyeteeth to be able to spend so much time with him." "Well, I’ve known Lee for four or five years, and I like him, and think he likes me. But I’m not much of a talker, and as Maureen says, ‘go and try to make small talk with Lee Strasberg’."

A few nights later. "What did you and Lee do today?" "We drove to Pyramid Lake, stopped and had lunch. I had coconut pie for dessert. We drove back to Reno." "What did he talk about?" He said the lake reminded him of a lake near where he grew up in Europe. When I was about six, my uncle wanted to teach me to swim, and threw me in. I nearly drowned. Never did learn to swim. She laughed, "Maybe that explains the famous story of him at Fire Island, when someone – was it Anne Bancroft? – seeing him standing for hours by the ocean, asked "why don’t you go in, Lee?" "I don’t want to get involved."

A few nights later. "What did you and Lee do today?" "We drove to Sacramento, passed over the __?____ Pass, went to several bookstores. Had lunch. I had coconut pie for desert. We drove back over the pass, got here just about the time you did." "What did he talk about?" "I don’t remember either of us saying a word. Oh, he did want to stop and read the monument by the side of the road that told about the terrible snowstorm that held the group captive until, without food or shelter, they resorted to cannibalism."

A few nights later. "What did you and Lee do today?" "We drove to Lake Tahoe. Had lunch. I had coconut pie for dessert. We put a few coins in the machines, drove back to Reno." The next night. "I know. You had coconut pie for dessert."