"You can't go home. . .

. . .again."  "You can't get there from here."  Regardless of those or other serious or silly sayings, let me assure you that it is possible to go to the Anne St. Cafe in Little Falls, sit down with an old friend and his wife, and start talking as easily as if it were 40 years ago.  We had a great time being with Johnny B. and his wife Amy.  John is a retired teacher of English, currently director of plays, actor, and writer.  As such we have a lot in common.

We went to Canal Place in Little Falls, two old mills now serving as homes to the shops of many antique sellers.  I was looking for Whitman Books, and John found one for me almost as soon as we entered the store.  Its title is GENE AUTRY AND THE GHOST RIDERS, which combined two of the favorite things of my kidhood, cowboys and ghosts.  It's in the best condition of any of the books in my collection, and it only cost 8 bucks.  I read the first chapter when we got home yesterday afternoon, and on p. 13, I found a paragraph I just love. It is the quintessence of the philosophy of all the cowboys who rode across the black and white, 17 inch tv screens of the 50's.  In the novel, Gene is on his way to help an old friend who is having trouble with some BAD GUYS.  The author Lewis B. Patten waxed poetically as he described Gene Autry's old western ideal.  "In truth, nothing pleased Gene more than a chance to help someone who needed his help.  And if there was a chance to fight the forces of lawlessness in the process, then his pleasure was doubled."  I can almost hear the theme from THE BIG COUNTRY playing behind this narration.

In case some are unaware, Gene Autry went from being a singing cowboy in movies to being a billionaire entrepeneur, investor, and owner of a major league baseball team. This singing cowboy was no dummy.  Even in 1955, when it was rare, he was getting a cut on all aspects of his fame.  On the title page of my new/old book, below the title, is the statement, "An original story featuring GENE AUTRY, famous motion picture, radio, and television star as hero."  On the copyright page, is the legend "Copyright 1955 by GENE AUTRY."  Roy Rogers didn't copyright the Whitman book I have that features him as hero.  Neither did Hopalong Cassidy.  I have another Gene Autry title from 1951, and way back then, the financially savvy singing cowboy was copyrighting the books in which he was featured.  Gene Autry's past fame always includes mention of his great wealth.  Roy Rogers' always includes mention of the fact that his horse is stuffed.