Dara writes:
Today, which marks the passing of William F. Buckley Jr., is a sad day. I feel lucky that I was able to enjoy his company at his house not too long ago for a very special evening of listening to brilliant pianist Simone Dinnerstein playing the Goldberg Variations. I've written about that event here.
Bill Buckley's son tells a story of his father's fearlessness. Chris was traveling from New York to Connecticut to meet his father for a sail. On the train up, Chris noticed the weather kept getting worse. He was sure the sail would be canceled. Yet, lo and behold, when the train pulled into Stamford, Chris spied Bill, the gale force winds doing nothing to deter his sense of adventure.
Bill's joie de vivre was contagious. I'd like to think I caught a bit of it myself when I accepted a date with a handsome young man to join him for a sail on his boat. There were sparks that day and the rest, as they say, is history. The young man was James. The boat was Patito, which Bill had sold to my husband and two other friends.
After our first sail on Patito that day in 2004, I had to make a hasty return to New York. The next morning, I would be protesting the Republic National Convention. This funny amalgam of right and left was a hint of what was to come in my life with James.