Re: Liona Boyd
Sigh........
yes, and to think that I was........that far from asking her out for a luncheon date one time long ago.
It was the Canada Postage Stamp thread that Char put up that prompted me to write this.
Being a postal worker had it's share of benefits outside the workplace for me in the fact that I got to meet lots of pretty cool folks and Leona was one.
She called the post office where I worked one day looking for an important manuscript that she urgently needed for an upcoming concert and I delivered the goods to her....personally.
Yes, another "Lightheaded" encounter.
I rode there to her house in Scarborough on my bicycle, manuscript in hand together with her "Miniatures" album which she was more than happy to autograph for me and also presented me with a beautiful black and white pic of her with her signature as well.
She greeted me at the door, commented that she loves to ride her bicycle also and invited me inside when I asked if she would autograph her album for me.
She was very sweet.
I was overly excited and said I should remove my shoes but she said that it was ok as she was housecleaning anyway and my shoes looked clean.
Having long fingernails is always a dead giveaway for guitar players and Leona took note and the conversation began.
I can't remember exactly how long I was there chatting with her but it seemed like an eternity that went in a split second and we covered a lot of territory.
The big highlight of the conversation was when I told her I attended the concert Gord put on in support of the Olympic Athletes in the early 80's and how well she did after having to follow an act like Harry Chapin. He had the whole audience in Maple Leaf Stadium up on all fours at the end of his gig.
I said, "Leona, what better an act could anyone put up there to follow a guy like Harry Chapin but a beautiful well known female classical guitarist such as yourself?"
At that point her phone started ringing; she wanted to keep talking; but paranoia stage one had kicked in for this dude and you might say I was becoming overwhelmed and getting real "clammy" (Nfld. for perspiring).
I said "your phone is ringing, I really must go." (but not before giving her my phone number in case she needed more manuscripts delivered).
Her house at the time was on Fallingbrook Crescent which was at the bottom of a very steep hill in the Beaches area of Toronto.
Well, I tell ya; even though I was riding a bicycle I went up that slope like a "bat out of hell." Nervous energy kicked in big time!
But anyway, thinking back on the luncheon date idea; I know it'd never be arranged. Just too far off the radar.
She eventually sold her home and moved to the United States and got married.
Sigh........
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