Several days ago I was walking down Main Street in Concord, something I do quite frequently. In fact it has been a regular habit of mine since I was about 8 or 9 and on a “Mission” to get the latest comic book at Woolworth’s followed by adding several pounds to my already hefty frame, at Newberry’s via homemade french fries and coke in a chilled glass.
In those days whenever my mother took me into J.C. Penny’s to get Back-to School clothes, we were directed to the “Husky Department” where little boys with 39 inch waists like I had, could find something that fit.
I was outside Caffenio’s, contemplating whether or not to get a slice of their amazing Lemon Cake or not – old habits die hard – when I was approached by someone I’d gone to school with, lo those many years ago.
“Are you crazy Paul”, he almost yelled and I’m sure the group standing in front of the State House Plaza across the street heard him.
“I guess you could say I was once upon a time and I have the papers to prove it”, I laughed, referring to problems that beset me in another era.
He proceeded to lambast me while telling me he’d enjoyed my latest edition of “Downtown Dialogues” on WKXL in which I talked with Jim MacKay who, among other things, was once my psychotherapist. On the show we’d discussed that relationship only after I brought up the subject. Confidentiality would have prohibited Jim from raising the specter.
I attempted to explain to my harried former classmate the fact that I’d written an autobiography in which I graphically described all of the less than savory problems and issues I had confronted during my years of living. There really wasn’t any reason to try to sugar coat it now.
In fact in my book, “Was That a Name I Dropped?” I just about ran the gamut, omitting only my battle with cancer in the 1980’s.
Partly for space limitations – I was hovering around 500 pages – and partly because as I read what I had written, throwing cancer into the mix might make readers exclaim, “This is like a Lifetime Movie. He’s been through everything but a pregnancy…..”
My decision to be bluntly honest paid off. In the past two years I have received more than 3,500 letters, e-mails and on-street thank yous from people who have identified with parts of the book or appreciated the candor with which I had written.
Naturally there are always going to be people in our lives who don’t appreciate honesty if it doesn’t coincide with what they feel honesty should be. Anyone who cannot be pigeonholed into a couple of categories, must be less than honest they surmise.
When I was 8 or 9 and was asked in class by Sister Mary John at St. Peter’s School what I had done over the weekend and replied, “I got a letter from Doris Day and spent time writing her back…” I was severely reprimanded for telling a fib and urged to get to Confession as soon as possible. “If you die with that lie on your soul, you’re not going to Heaven”, she sternly informed me.
Now some 50 years later, I am preparing to teach a class at Granite State College all about my friend of many years, Doris Day. The class entitled, “More than Freckles – The Amazing Career of Doris Day” had its 24 available slots filled quickly with local folks who hopefully won’t channel Sister Mary John.
In June of 1974, at the invitation of Doris, I attended a huge fundraising event at the Burbank Studios. The money raised would benefit Actors and Others for Animals, an organization that Doris Day was greatly supportive of and gave tirelessly to with both her time and money.
I was sitting in a large air-conditioned trailer that had been set up on the lot for Doris to relax in between her duties as auctioneer and sitting and signing more than 6,500 autographs.
With me was award-winning writer, A.E. Hotchner whose book on Ernest Hemingway had topped all best-seller lists a few years earlier. At the time he was working with Doris on what would be a number one NY Times best-selling autobiography when it was released 18 months later.
Hotchner, who later partnered with Paul Newman on the Newman’s Own brand, chatted comfortably with me about writing, a subject that was endlessly fascinating to my young mind.
“Always write honestly. Don’t disguise the truth and if you’re writing non-fiction, stick to the facts. It’s not your job to rewrite history…..”
I never forgot his words.
Likewise, Theresa Cantin who operated the Concord Theatre on South Main Street for some six decades, was always bluntly truthful with her customers when they asked her opinion of a picture that was playing.
“Paul, she told me several times, if people ask you about the film we’re playing and it’s a real clinker, tell them so. I don’t want them spending their money and hating the film and staying away from a good one or not trusting us the next time they ask. I’d rather make them happy than have a cash drawer filled with money from disgruntled customers…”
I’d like to think that I perhaps saved a few Concord residents from being subjected to abysmal films with titles like, “Caper of the Golden Bulls, “Woman Times Seven”, “Cuba” and “Seven Beauties” to name but a few!
A year or so ago I was in Target walking through the store when I passed a couple who began to loudly whisper, “That’s Paul Brogan, let me tell you about that freak…..” as they walked away.
I almost wanted to follow them and hear about this Paul Brogan and suggest they hurry down to Gibson’s to buy my book and get the real scoop.
Fact is usually much more interesting than fiction.
