THIS IS THE CITY! LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA (MORE LIKE UNIVERSAL CITY)! I WAS DOING THE DAY WATCH ON THE 3RD FLOOR OF THE FOOD-LESS, BAR-LESS COURTYARD BY MARRIOTT ON OLYMPIC BLVD., WHEN THE PHONE RANG. IT WAS RUBIN PERIN WHO HAD FLOWN IN FROM SUN VALLEY, ID. SO WE WENT TO LUNCH, AS WE HAD PLANNED AND HAD A WONDERFUL VISIT, DISCUSSING FISHING, HUNTING, RUBIN'S BICYCLE RIDE ACROSS AMERICA WITH DAVE REMINGTON LAST YEAR, AND, IN PARTICULAR, HIS NEXT DAY VISIT WITH HIS THREE GRAND-DAUGHTERS IN SAN FRANCISCO. AS WE WERE GOING OUT THE DOOR, RING GOES THE PHONE: "TRIVERS HERE!"

"JOIN US!" SAID I, BUT STEVE HAD JUST COME IN FROM KALAMAZOO AND WAS SCHEDULED TO HAVE LUNCH WITH HIS COUSIN; SO WE AGREED TO MEET LATER. WHEN RUBIN AND I RETURNED, RICK STEINKAMP HAD ROLLED IN FROM LAS VEGAS WHERE HE STILL TEACHES POLITICAL SCIENCE IN THE HOURS HE'S NOT PLAYING POKER IN BELLAGIO'S POKER ROOM. MEANWHILE, DICK AND CYNTHIA GUTHRIE HAD DRIVEN DOWN FROM PEBBLE BEACH, HAVING JUST "REUNED" AT FT. BENNING WITH THE COMPANY HE COMMANDED IN VIET NAM, AND WHERE HE WAS AWARDED THE SILVER STAR.

ARKIE AND RUTH KOEHL FLEW IN FROM HAWAII MAKING THIS A LONG WEEKEND. ARKIE HAD TOLD ME THAT GRABO KEATOR WAS NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THE DINNER, AS MARNIE HAD BEEN IN A BICYCLE ACCIDENT WITH A CAR AND WAS PRETTY BUNGED UP, ALTHOUGH OK.

WE ALL HEADED FOR THE MGM FOX STUDIOS, WHERE WE RAN INTO BILL DIAL WHO HAD COME FROM SAUSALITO, HIS CHARMING DAUGHTER, KIRSTEN, WHO REALLY PUT THE AFFAIR TOGETHER FOR US, BILL COX AND ED HOTELLING.

THE TOUR OF THE 54 ACRE STUDIO WAS GREAT; I'VE NEVER BEEN TO NOR SEEN ANYTHING QUITE LIKE IT, AND THAT INCLUDES SOME OF THE HUMANITY WANDERING AROUND THE PLACE. WHEN WE MET FOR COCKTAILS IN THE SHIRLEY TEMPLE ROOM OF THE FOX COMMISSARY, WE WERE JOINED BY JOHN HURLBUT WHO LOOKS TERRIFIC WITH AN ADONIS FIGURE AND GREAT SUN TAN AND WHO READILY ADMITS HE'S IN DENIAL ABOUT HIS AGE AND WORK ETHIC. HE EVEN WONDERS IF WALLY PHILLIPS CAN THROW A BASEBALL UPWARD OF 50 MILES AN HOUR THESE DAYS.ALSO JOINING IN WERE ROBERT AND ANITA KERR. ROBERT HAD RETIRED FROM THE JET PROPULSION LAB BUT IS COMPLETING SOME SOFTWARE HE HAS DEVELOPED OVER TIME THAT IS OF INTEREST TO JPL, SO THEY ARE STILL WORKING TOGETHER.
BILL COX HAD BEEN ON ASSIGNMENT IN MICHIGAN, BUT THE CO-HOST STILL MANAGED TO GET THERE ON TIME. BILL DIAL SAID THAT HE IS REALLY ENJOYING RETIREMENT FOM HIS LAW PRAQCTICE WITH CHEVRON/GULF AND WON'T ADMIT THAT HE IS PLAYING GOLF ABOUT 5 DAYS A WEEK. LIKE BILL, ED HOTELLING IS RETIRED FROM AMERICAN AIRLINES AND STILL HAS FUN FLYING HIS PLANE THAT LOOKS LIKE A WORLD WAR II TRAINER-OR MAYBE IT'S A SOPWITH CAMEL. ED HAD COME IN FROM SOMIS WHICH IS NORTHWEST OF LOS ANGELES.

AFTER DINNER SEVERAL OF US WENT BACK TO THE HOTEL TO CONTINUE THE PARTY, BUT THE BAR HAD BEEN CLOSED. NOT TO FEAR, THE GUTHRIES SAVED THE DAY BY PRODUCING A BOTTLE OF VODKA AND SOME RED WINE, AND IT CAME IN HANDY. AND I WOULD NOT EXPECT LESS FROM MY OLD ROOMMATE FROM CHEEVER HOUSE, WHEN WE WERE LOWERS. ACTUALLY, DICK AND CYNTHIA WERE HEROES AGAIN BY TAKING PICTURES OF ALL AT THE DINNER. THE PICS WILL FOLLOW THIS IMMEDIATELY, BUT I DID WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT YOUR REPORTER HAD BROUGHT HIS CAMERA, MAKING SURE THE BATTERY WAS FULL, AND THEN LEAVING IT IN MY SUITCASE, AN OBVIOUSLY WONDERFUL PLACE TO HIDE A CAMERA.

ONCE AGAIN, LIKE THE OTHER DINNERS WE'VE HAD, THERE WAS REAL ELECTRICITY WITH THE EXCITEMENT OF PEOPLE RE-CONNECTING WITH FRIENDS THEY HAVEN'T SEEN- SOME FOR A LONG TIME. WHAT A REAL PLEASURE TO BE PART OF THAT FUN.

NOW, IF YOU HAVE MISSED OUT ON ATTENDING ONE OF THESE DINNERS, FEAR NOT, ME LADS, FOR THERE ARE MORE TO FOLLOW. WE WILL HAVE YET ANOTHER ONE THIS COMING OCTOBER IN NEW YORK CITY, WHERE OUR HOST WILL BE LEO ULLMAN WHO HAS BEEN KIND ENOUGH TO RESERVE US A SPOT AT THE HARVARD CLUB IN THE BIG APPLE. MORE WILL FOLLOW, BUT BE SURE TO LET YOUR SPOUSES OR SIGNIFICANT OTHERS KNOW SO THAT YOU CAN PLAN TO ATTEND.

BEST TO ALL.
GEE