Pages

Saturday, February 11, 2012

I Remember Whitney Houston

I just heard that Whitney Houston has died. I remember the time I met her.

My husband owned a baseball team . We went to all the home games but didn't sit together. He loved the fans but wanted to concentrate on the game so he watched from an enclosed box. I chose to sit down with the fans in a box that was reserved for visiting celebs, etc.

Whitney Houston had just sung the National Anthem and was ushered to the seat beside me. The game had started but we chit-chatted a little and settled into watching the ball game.

I remember 2 things about her. One was her obvious beauty. Sitting that close to her, I could drink it all in and absorb her perfume.

Number two was the ring she wore on her right hand. It was the most unusual ring, a huge diamond that was shaped in an oblong to the left and also covered much of her middle finger. As her hands rested in her lap, I couldn't get interested in the game, as my attention kept drifting back to her ring.

She got up during the 7th inning stretch, said good bye, gave a radiant smile and left. I can't recall the exact year but I'm sure it was before she reached the pinnacle of her career. I hadn't thought about that ball game in years but this evening when I heard the news of her passing, it all came back. I could feel the warm Minnesota evening air, hear the crack of the bat and "whaamp" when the ball smacked the catcher's glove. I could hear the vendors, smell the hot dogs and pop corn and Whitney's perfume.

My sympathy to Whitney's daughter and her family.

45 comments:

  1. She was a beautiful woman with a beautiful voice. She will be missed.

    ReplyDelete
  2. truly a loss. she had such great talent - and yes, absolute beauty.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Soooo...talented, she will be missed

    ReplyDelete
  4. I am just shell shocked. Well, I bet she and Etta James will be bringing the house down in heaven together.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Such a sad ending to a wonderful and talented life (though a life of challenges). Dead at 48; far too young. And, unfortunately, already far too gone.

    I think Whitney and I remember "I will always love you," "Greatest Love of All," and "Didn't We Almost Have It All."

    Blessings and Bear hugs to those who knew her, and loved her.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Such a waste... nice to read a personal account of her.

    What a talent. so sad.

    ReplyDelete
  7. So sad. I do not yet know how she died. In Australia news can travel more slowly. Thanks for a beautiful and human memorial to a celebrity who was clearly also human.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Oh Manzy.... You never cease to surprise me with all you have done and seen. Now I find out you have hob nobbed with the rich and famous. Good for you!!! Love you!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. My my, you DO get around, don't you?! Thank you for sharing your experience - it's easy to lose sight of the person behind the fame.

    ReplyDelete
  10. My daughter just told me a few minutes ago. That is so sad. Such beauty and talent plagued by so many problems. Just so sad. How nice that you have such a good memory of her to treasure.

    ReplyDelete
  11. It's so sad that Whitney Houston died so young. Thanks for sharing this lovely memory about such a talented woman. Julie

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hi Manzanita - what a lovely memory to recall of your brief moment with her - and for bringing the time back to life for us .. I can 'see' it all ..

    Interesting to read - but sad circumstances .. thanks so much -Hilary

    ReplyDelete
  13. I am so in shock. :-( I just woke up to this news. I love this memory you have of her! Oh when she was at her peak, she was gorgeous! I remember watching her version of The Preacher's Wife over Christmas and she was just luminous and so beautiful! Take care
    x

    ReplyDelete
  14. So sad, she was such an amazing talent... I listened to her music most my life. My heart breaks for her daughter as I lost my mom when she was 48 yrs old, you never stop missing your momma. God be with her family.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Fishducky : Yes, her voice .....what a gift.

    TexWisGirl : Oh to be singled out to have such a talent.

    Turquoisemoon : I'm sure most women would wish for a voice and beauty like she was given.

    Mrs Bacon : What a lovely thought....she with Etta. Think of the beautiful music.

    Rob : How true that those given such a gift are usually the ones with the challenges.

    Carolyn : It was a such a pleasurable moment to have come so close for that brief time.

    Elisabeth : Memory tricks us. I hadn't thought of those brief moments in years and then suddenly it all came back as if it was yesterday.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Terry : You are so dear. :) My life has been so simple, just "hob-knobing with other simple souls.

    Red : Yes, the rich and famous seem almost "untouchable." But that's in our minds, not theirs.

    Galen : With a voice like hers, the songs she sang will never die.

    Julie : We never know who we'll met as we travel along our path.

    Hilary : But isn't it strange how we put our memories on the back-burner and when triggered, boom, they are right back.

    Kitty : Oh, that modern version of the preacher's wife. That was so touching.

    Julie : You lost your mother so young, too. You think of them, no matter how old you get. I often think of my mother.

    ReplyDelete
  17. I can't believe she's dead, she seems to have been around forever.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Great memory, always amazing how they pop in after so long. Another loss to early too.

    ReplyDelete
  19. So sad. Hopefully she will find the peace she's been searching for.

    ReplyDelete
  20. I just saw the report about her passing in our Honolulu newspaper. What a shock! She has always been one of my favorite singers. This is so sad.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Dear Manzanita,
    As fishducky has said so well, she was a beautiful woman with a beautiful voice. And that beauty of person and voice touched so many lives. She gave us herself in her singing. A blessing.

    Peace.

    ReplyDelete
  22. What a lovely remembrance you have written. A tragic death at 48.
    I remember her mom, Cissy Houston when she was a backup singer for Elvis Presley. Whitney great, and Etta James as well.
    Thank You.

    ReplyDelete
  23. What a lovely remembrance you have written. A tragic death at 48.
    I remember her mom, Cissy Houston when she was a backup singer for Elvis Presley. Whitney great, and Etta James as well.
    Thank You.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Jenny : I just found out from Anthony that her Mother is Cissy Houston.

    Pat : Yup, memories seem to have a mind of their own.

    Mary : In spite of her beautiful voice, I guess she did lead a tormented life.

    Kay : Pretty young to leave.

    Dee : She had a voice that charmed everyone who heard her.

    Anthony : Now there is something I wasn't aware of. You are a walking encyclopedia. Cissy was back-up for a lot of popular voices. So Whitney came by her talent so naturally. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  25. I was saddened to hear about Whitney too. I really hope the press doesn't turn her death into a circus.
    It's not important that I know the details of her death.
    I think she deserves to rest in peace.

    ReplyDelete
  26. A tragic story of a wonderful talent who left us far too soon. God Bless the family. Whitney will be missed.

    ReplyDelete
  27. What an incredible story, Manzanita! Yes, her passing is very sad. I wrote a post about it, too, yesterday. I guess she touched many lives.

    ReplyDelete
  28. From Susie Bright's column regarding the media coverage on Whitney Houston's death:

    "When great male musicians die, it’s unusual to have their substance issues splayed forth in the obit headline. Is that what happened when George Harrison died? The Beatles, every one of them, could’ve given Whitney Houston a clinic in drug abuse. When Keith Richards dies, are they going to lead with “heroin destroyed his career”? Why was Billie Holliday’s love affair with heroin so tragic, but Miles Davis and John Coltrane … not so much? Why is Sinead O’Conner a nutcase but Van Halen is just a darling bunch of naughty rockers? Why is Madonna’s mental state on the front page every day, but not Justin Beiber’s? Fuck that noise.”

    ReplyDelete
  29. I have been so sad since I heard of her passing. She was so beautiful and her voice was incredible. Just thinking about her singing the national anthem at that World Series game gives me chills.

    ReplyDelete
  30. It is so nice that you got to meet her! So many of her fans (me included) would have adored that!

    May she Rest In Peace.

    xoxoxo, cd

    ReplyDelete
  31. Rick : I think everyone deserves to rest in peace ...... eventually.

    Stephen : Thanks for stopping and leaving a comment.

    Gigi : I'll be over to see you. I was just thinking of you. Is that called syncrinicity? (or however you spell it)

    Rubye : So this person is saying that a woman's shortcomings are splattered all over the news but men's aren't. I never gave it much thought but it could be true.

    Inger : Yes, everything about her impressed me and she wasn't that well known at the time.

    Clare : Hey, good to hear from you. Hope you had a good trip.

    ReplyDelete
  32. You have a nice memory of her! The better times of her life. She probably loved sitting next to you since you didn't badger her with "OMG, YOU are SO like my favorite singer!"
    It is a travesty that she is gone. I was hoping her career would take off again, and thought she was making a come back.
    I blame Bobby Brown. It seems everything went to pot when she married him.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Great story. The biggest celebrity I ever saw was Pope John Paul II. I would've talked to him, but there were a 100,000 people in St. Peters Square.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Your remembrance was a warm touch that brought her memory even closer. Most celebs wouldn't have stayed that long. She was such a talent, one of the greats. So much to offer and gone - so sad. She will be missed.

    ReplyDelete
  35. What a lovely tribute and such beautiful memories. She had an amazing talent.

    ReplyDelete
  36. She really was gorgeous and had a breath taking voice. I hope she at peace and pray for her family.

    The world will miss her.

    ReplyDelete
  37. that's a neat memory of her, especially the perfume detail and the radiant smile.

    ReplyDelete
  38. Wow, what an amazing story. Such a loss.

    ReplyDelete
  39. Hello my friend. I am sorry I have not been around for a little while. I have once again embarked on a new venture. I will write about it in the future. What a crazy life. In any event, I just wanted to say hello. I am still alive and well, living in St. Augustine.

    ReplyDelete
  40. Her time was up say those who are very devout. I hope she's in a peaceful place because she found her life with her fame and expectations to be tough. Nerves can unsettle the best of us.
    She will be remembered because she left a legacy of great songs.

    ReplyDelete
  41. I never understand how people who have so much get so messed up. Her voice was incredible.

    ReplyDelete
  42. Irene : "...when she married Bobbie Brown." Great pun

    Al : You were probably the guy who knew everyone in the world...Remember that old joke?

    Kittie : You are so right. She must have really liked baseball.

    Carol : From that brief time sitting beside her, she seemed almost shy, not cold or haughty.

    Jax : The truth. And thank you for leaving a nice comment.

    Ed : When you get to be my age, it's the recent memory that goes. The events of the past come back easy. :)

    Talli I agree all the way.

    JJ : Now you've aroused my curiosity. What the heck are you into now???

    ReplyDelete
  43. Kleinste : I think her funeral was handled with quiet honor. That was very good

    Susan : It is a pity.... always seems like such a waste of a God-given talent.

    ReplyDelete
  44. I really enjoyed reading that, Manza. I had a clear picture of her face in her youth as I read your words. I join you in sympathy.

    ReplyDelete
  45. ...what fine memories... subtle details that remain in memory forever.
    Whitney was really a beautiful woman and a very talented artist...

    ReplyDelete