Friends. You haven't lived (or died) until you've attempted to follow Roy Tresadern, Bernhard Vogel and Dick Schwarz (lyricist) up 14 (at least) flights of spiral stairs leading from the London underground (tube? subway?). It wasn't the need for oxygen so much as the sorry state of my knees from having been cramped in a 777 for 7 hours (my life always in sevens, it seems). But traipsing through London with these three gentlemen (jet-lag having finally caught up with the fourth) is just about as good as it gets...Covent Gardens, 84 Charing Cross (I loved both the book and the movie equally), the theater district, the hordes of happy young people, cafe latte and nonstop Sinatra conversation at Costa L'Amore Per Il Caffe (I'm reading the name off the coaster I kept as a souvenir). The high point may have been the trip to the ancient Catholic church Frank frequented when he was in town. Modest, but with vaulted ceilings, the building smelled of old wood and history. In reverent whispers, Roy explained that Frank had donated a sum of money for the purchase of a statue. Under Roy's guidance, the four of us lit candles, maybe in Frank's memory, perhaps for our common love of great music, or for all the friends we've met and made because of it ...who knows? But we left four small flames burning brightly in a heart-shaped holder. A Valentine for all the people we care about. Beverly Elander written 02.14.99