Moon River and Me

Johnny Mercer, America’s greatest lyricist, was born and buried in Savannah, Georgia, our current location. I am a huge Mercer fan. He is a great poet and during a previous Savannah visit, I wept at his grave.

So we absolutely HAD to make a small turnoff into the Moon River south of Savannah, where I belted out “Moon River,” trying my best to channel the recently-departed Andy Williams, another great. John was appalled. Sparta the Cat was traumatized.

Alas, the Moon River is not wider than a mile. It is about 50 yards wide and only three miles long. It’s silting up so badly I thought we might go around before the finale. But “Mud River, Skinny as a Stick” would probably have not won an Academy Award. No matter, Johnny Mercer works his magic in the listener’s mind, and for anyone hearing that song, the Moon River will always be a shimmering, romantic, rainbow’s end kind of place.

Before Savannah we docked for a night at the Sunbury Crab Company, out in the marshes a long way from anywhere. Huge, easy dock, great food, a jazz band playing in the outside amphitheater, and when you walk in to pay your dock fee they hand you a 24 oz. Yeungling beer!

Had dinner last night with David O’Brasky, and old friend and legendary advertising man, once publisher of Esquire Magazine, among many other exploits. David came to Madison Avenue at the end of the Mad Men era, and folks he IS a Mad Man. Wonderful stories, a sweetheart of a wife (Joan), and still out selling ads to this day for the local ESPN affiliate. We’re staying near their house at the beautiful Isle of Hope, south of Savannah.

That’s all from Two Drifters Off to See the World (I can’t stop).