An old friend, a new teacup, and a celebrity memory

Deb and I became friends not long after she called me at the newspaper one day to see whether I might be able to help her find a nurse for Kevin Costner. He was in the area to film the 1994 movie "The War," which was set in rural Mississippi in the early seventies, and apparently he needed someone who'd been a nurse in the sixties who would know how to bandage him accurately for one of his scenes. Deb was doing some PR work with the movie back then and was asked to find a nurse, and she knew the people in a small-town newsroom might know a good one. So I asked around in the newsroom, one of my friends mentioned our retired-nurse friend Harriet, and of course she was *thrilled* to be asked to visit with Kevin Costner and see about bandaging him! Who wouldn't have been? As a thanks for my minuscule role in all this, my new friend Deb, who I'd known only by reputation, got me onto the set one day, so I got to stand around and drool over the romantic hunk—along with all the other women.

Deb moved away, and I hadn't seen her in years. I was thinking of her one morning this week, though, because of something I saw on the news that jogged a memory. That very afternoon—and years have gone by since I last saw her—I got a call from Deb. Now isn't that interesting? She'd found some old press club memorabilia she wanted to send to me and Alex, and she advised me to be careful opening the package, as there would be something breakable inside. I thought it might be an old press club award, but no... it was this gorgeous teacup and saucer! I absolutely adore the teacup and didn't have one like it!

And did I just make this up or did I read somewhere in blog land that Royal Patrician has gone out of business? At any rate, I was quite happy to be back in touch with an old friend (my "six degrees of separation" from Kevin Costner), and also happy to have received a beautiful new teacup. And Kevin, if you're reading today, stop by anytime. Alex and I will have the tea waiting!