I just returned from New York City. I’d never been before. I graduated with 80 people. This is a fact that matters, as you will soon find out.

First, to get it out of the way:
THE CELEBRITY SIGHTINGS.

1. Tony Bennett
(“I Left My Heart in San Fancisco”) He flew first class in the plane that took us from Dallas to NYC. Some of the kids (The trip was with FBC Georgetown and included 11 kids and 5 other adults) had their picture taken with him at the baggage claim at La Guardia. He was very nice to them.

2. Cedric the Entertainer:
One of the other adults and myself happened upon a throng of people outside of the Ritz-Carlton hotel. There was another throng on the other side of the street, also waiting. We asked numerous people who we were waiting for. No one knew, yet we stayed, feeling that this was somehow an authentic New York Experience free for the taking, if only someone relatively more famous than ourselves would emerge. There’s no surprise here; it was Cedric the Entertainer, and the proof is in the picture shown here (look in the center for the white suit:

We later deduced that people may have been waiting for Russell Crowe, as not everyone left after Cedric came out, and this was the day after Russell had gotten into a tussle with some poor guy. Mr. Crowe apparently forgot how to use a phone and reached out and touched (i.e. smashed) this guy on the head.

3. Gary Sinise:
(possibly) I was told by a reliable friend that Gary Sinise was walking in front of us, but I could only see the back of the man’s head. I attempted to walk more quickly to see if it was really him, but then I almost got lost from my group, and it’s a good thing I didn’t or I would have missed Beauty and the Beast, which was a really good show.

More stories later.