How do I talk about Cary Grant without using all the expected words… suave, sophisticated, sexy, charming, dapper, handsome, dimple-in-chin, tall, great in a suit, great voice/cadence/rhythm, great walk. And fucking funny. A vaudevillian heart more than a heart throb… he could fall, tumble, crash into things, drop things, and act like a nerd. His confused was both endearing and comical. He had a darkness as well. It always took me by surprise; it was incredibly intriguing.
But you knew he smelled good. If your nose could only find its way to his neck and nestle right below his ear. You knew he could kiss… every time I saw him, it was easy to imagine kissing him. But not just serious kissing. Flirty kissing. Laughing kissing. Eyes wide open kissing.
And… He was one of the best actors I’ve ever seen.
Do you think I had a thing for Cary Grant? And I don’t care if he was gay or bi. No bearing on how I felt, well, still feel. And you want to know something even funnier? ej is a little Cary Grant-like. Not in looks. But the nerd part for sure and he’s funny and charming. Mostly, it’s those Grantesque “everything that can go wrong will go wrong” moments. Like going into an American supermarket and asking for chocolate bars. the guy told him they didn’t have any. of course, he eventually found them and then, in true ej style, his voice pitched as he complained that not only were there chocolate bars, but there was a whole aisle of them… it’s hard for him to accept that sometimes, people don’t understand his accent.
I got to see Cary Grant once. He was going around the country, sitting on stages small and large, and answering people’s questions. “An Evening with Cary Grant” I think he called. When I saw him (he was 82 then), Liz Smith introduced him. And guess what? I was the first one he pointed to in the audience to ask a question.
Here’s the way I remember it…
“Mr. Grant… Cary. I just wanna hear you say my name.” And the audience erupted with laughter… he smiled, put his hands over his eyes to cut the spot lights to look at me.
“What’s your name?”
Fighting the swoon… i said p… pfiore8. And he said, “Hello pfiore8. How are you this evening?”
One of my best ever moments…