George Mayer, As His Surname Suggests, Was Just Like MGM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                   It has been over two weeks since the unexpected death of former colleague and friend, George Louis Mayer, and I am now ready to do tribute to him.

                                    Yes, his middle name was Louis.  And when he headed LPA's Circulation Department, where I began, in 1981, it was like working on the Freed Unit.

                                      Mr. Mayer was a man of many talents, and an array of cultural tastes.  He was a great administrator, but, unlike today's climate, he cared deeply about the arts, and those of us who, in whatever form, pledged our lives to them.

                                       While still under his auspices, I remember him investing in a somewhat hit musical, called "The Tap Dance Kid."  Which, by the way, put a kid named Savion Glover, on the map.  As an investor, Mr. Mayer got the staff tickets one evening, we dined at a Theater Row restaurant (I cannot recall, and, besides, it is probably gone!!!!) and we saw this wonderful show!  I cannot think of anyone, save my beloved David, who would share such good fortune with colleagues.

                                         When he retired, around 1988, he worked here and there, until he got tired of it.  It was not due to age, because that was a thing that never stopped him.

                                           For at least twenty years, a group of us, George included, went each year to Coney Island, dined at this wonderful nearby Italian restaurant, Carolina's.    Things changed slowly, over the years--we got older, Carolina's closed, we switched to Fiorentino's, where it became more about a social lunch, than a parade. And, then, even Fiorentino's closed.  You might say things were never the same after Carolina's, though the tradition continued, but the real game changer for me, and I would bet George, too, was the disappearance of the Naked Devil.  Several years at the Mermaid Parade, there would be this young, slender guy, dressed in a G-String, and nothing else, who put on horns, and painted his entire body (hopefully not his feet) red, and scampered around, daring people to catch him. And in his bare feet!!!!!!  Girls, I am telling you, whomever he was, he had the tightest, and reddest, butt cheeks!  George and I always looked forward to him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                           Like me, he was a native of New Jersey--Somerville, in fact.

                                            Of course, with age, came health issues. Diabetes, and later artery and anemic issues.  However, I am proud to say, and I hope someone shows this blog to Bette Midler--that, just three days, after having a stent placed in his carotid artery, he climbed the steps to his mezzanine seat in the Shubert, to see Miss Midler in "Hello, Dolly!"  I am so glad he got to this!

                                             Our last time with him, as a group, I recounted in my post about Child's, again at Coney Island.  Like me, the place meant something to him, which is why I shall always remember his wanting to remain by himself for awhile, that September day, just before his 88th birthday.  I wonder if he knew?

                                             I didn't, because his passing was unexpected.  But he left in style, en route to a concert he never heard.

                                              My signature greeting to him always was, "Mr. Maaaaaaaaayyyyyyer!  You Look faaaaaaaaaaaaabulous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"  I am sure you still will, George!

                                               And imagine--just imagine--the array of designers to choose from, in the Celestial Realms!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                 Rest In Peace, George!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!