Alfred John Neumann Tribute

How do you sum a life into a few words? I can't remember when or where I met Al, but I am sure he would know the day and probably the place. So if it was Secrets in NE, that has gone with him. :-) That was one of many qualities I loved about him, his keen powers of observation and attention to detail. Oh, and as anyone could attest to, his punctuality. That was tops. You would think in your golden years you would be more casual about appointments, but Al was making up for lost time I guess or he respected people's time and expected the same from others. You live that golden rule Al! I can hear him say something like "Don't dilly dally." If you were late to meet him, you had better called ahead or have a really good excuse and don't try "traffic" cause he would be ready for that one and say "well, that's why I left early." I wouldn't recommend standing him up either. He would hunt you down or leave a voice mail that would make you feel like dirt. That's what I've heard anyway. I wonder if that was his point. And movies, he took his movies seriously or was it the actors in the movies that he took seriously... from the neck down? The plot might have been a close second. If there was eye candy exposing flesh of any sorts, Al knew when the opening day was and the times when it started, and already had cross checked some local reviews. Things I learned from Al: don't take things for granite; appreciate the finer things in life; know how fortunate you are to live in these times, even though the economy sucks big time. His stories of when he was coming of age are like night a day compared to today's young people. "You can do so much nowadays" he would say. "It's wonderful!" I learned to get outdoors, but my sunscreen might be a little more potent that Al's. He was a sun worshiper, beach is a +. He was always reading to stay abreast of current events from Who's Who's in Hollywood to Opera World, always cordial, paid attention to details, because the subtlest of detail can make a big difference. He always made time for fun and laughter. All that and he still made room for a super size of wit. What a guy.