Sam mentioned shaking hands with the president. It's hard to top that, but I shook hands with Werner von Braun. It was in a receiving line at a reception, and unlike most people in those situations, he looked me in the eye and seemed rather friendly. I've shaken hands with several Tennessee governors including Frank Clement and Ned McWhorter. Frank was my father's sunday school teacher and his son is Congressman Bob Clement, who recently ran for the Senate. I also have shaken hands with Jim Sassar, who was a Senator some time ago. I got within arm's length of Albert Gore, Al's father, but I can't remember shaking hands with him. It was a long time ago.

When I was six years old, I rubbed the nose of Man O' War, the most famous race horse ever. It's strange how things so long ago can stay so clearly in your memory. I can almost hear the old black man, who was the groom, saying, "You can pet him. He's a nice horse."

Almost forgot. I've shaken hands with William Holden, and exchanged a few words with Roy Acuff and Rosemary Clooney. I even flew to California just across the aisle from Kathy Crosby.

But I've never even seen a president of the US.
Howard