Neil Diamond: A Friendship Remembered

My story begins as I ETS'd (End of Time Served), from the USAF (United States Air Force), while living in Las Vegas, and continued to live there another 6 years thereafter. This would have been in the mid 1980's, and I was anticipating working something non-Air-Force, if you know what I mean: I kinda wanted to put the laundry out on the clothes line a little longer than usual, that's all, to just let the wind infuse and permeate the fabric, get the military smell out; not that it was a bad smell though, just different. I just wanted something different. So, I went, and took, and passed the test, and when people asked where I worked, or what I did, I could say "I am a letter sorter with the USPS (United States Postal Service), man!" Well, that only lasted for six months; as I couldn't 'pass muster', that is, complete the last requirement to become a LSM (Letter Sorting Machine-my life sure was filled with acronyms and tests it seems) Operator, but was able to later get on and do OK later as a Mail Carrier.

Between the two Post Office stints, I opened an antique shop with a good friend who was, well... into antiques. I didn't know too much about antiques at the time, but applied myself and took-to reading anything and everything about them I could find. I learned about Tiffany, Gustav Stickley, and Limoges; about Morris chairs, depression glass, art glass, old railroad watches, Lionel trains, and oil paintings. We even delved into collectibles like Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Hires Root Beer, and the like.

We did pretty good for a while, peddling our antiques and collectibles, until our personality differences got in the way, and we closed up shop; or I did anyway. But, while we were still peddling, earlier on, John (I prefer to keep his name anonymous) opened up to me one day, and confided in me that he was best friends with a celebrity I might know. I said "yeah right, you know Don Johnson?" he was pretty big at the time, I think. "No, A musician", he said, and I started naming off names--none of them right, so he finally told me "Neil Diamond". Well, although I wasn't a die-hard fan-I was more into Rock-n-Roll, with favorites like: Boston, The Eagles, Styx, Fog Hat etc., not Pop-I knew a little Diamond; songs like Cherry, Cherry, Kentucky Woman, Shiloh, Forever In Bluejeans, Sweet Caroline and a song I loathed at the time, Turn On your Heart Light, which played continuously on the local radio station at the time, came into mind, but I was still duly impressed.

At first I didn't really believe John. 'Maybe,' I thought, 'he needs to make up famous people in his mind to feel better about himself', he was a pseudo-psychologist after all-having finished 3 years towards a degree, so it was alright. Let the man have his fantasy if he wants, no skin off my teeth. But, like pieces of a puzzle coming together, things started happening that didn't add up...and then came the call. But I'll get to that in a minute.

First came the late night calls (I was a tenant of John's at the time, and would hear the phone) and then John would say "I gotta go pick up Neil from the airport". So he would take off and be gone for several hours, and I'm thinking 'maybe this dude needs some help I mean, he's really carrying this to the extreme.'

But then one day, I got to the phone first. "Hello", I said with a little trepidation, "Hi, is this Greg?" The phone vibrated with the deep baritone that Neil Diamond is know for. "This is Neil Diamond Greg, how are you doing?" I'm thinkin' 'he knows my name man, how does he know my name?' "Greg, are you there?" "Yes, I'm here...is this really Neil Diamond?" "Who else would it be, Greg?" Really direct and to the point, there. Not the kinda guy to pull any punches, you know? "OK, I guess you called for john, right" "Yes, but you never answered my question, Greg" 'Question, what question. He asked me a question?' "Greg, you still there?" "Oh...yeah I'm still here, I mean 'Yes Sir'" Between being raised in the south and 6 years in the military, the manners are deeply ingrained in me, I guess. But he let that one slide and repeated "How are you doing, Greg?" 'Oh, that question', I thought. "Oh, I'm doing great, how about yourself, Mr. Diamond?" "Call me Neil, Greg, not bad, not bad at all" Yeah, how bad could it be? Multi-platinum record selling, super-star, gotta be a multimillionaire, I mean, how bad can it be? I didn't find out till later on that it can still get pretty bad, even at-the-top.

You see, it really does get lonely at the top. John told me that Neil started out in the early 60'-before I was even thought of-chasing his dream. For several years he was sleeping in cars, eating no-name peanut butter and Saltines, or what ever he could find on the road. Playing for anybody and everybody who would give half-a-listen. Working odd jobs here and there, just to keep afloat. And then the big break; Solitary Man shot right to the top of the charts, and Neil Diamond was on his way! But, the story goes, once he made it big; I mean, real big, the only 'friends' or family he had at the time, would call for a loan, or 'the best business deal of the century', whatever: greedy, all they wanted him for was the money. Until, that is, he met John and they became fast friends.

They say if you can count your friends, I mean real friends, on one or two fingers throughout your lifetime, you are a lucky person indeed. According to John, he met Neil at a mutual acquaintance's party on night, where they got to talking. After a while of listening to him talk, John said something very profound that struck Neil to the core. Just 9 little words, but oh so powerful: "You need to be the boss of you, Neil". Profound words even today.

I know beyond a shadow of a doubt, that John would never ask Neil for anything-even if he desperately needed it-and I also know for a fact that Neil would give John anything he asked for. But, I also know that Neil would find some way, before the desperate-need ever arose, to take care of it. That is just the kind of person he is.

And so began a lifelong friendship. Although I haven't been in touch with John for many years, I feel it in-my-bones that the relationship remains to this day. My hope is: if Neil ever reads this article, he will not be upset with me for revealing this as he seems to cherish his privacy, when not on-stage of course. But I believe in this story lies a message for all of us. Once planted, a friendship is a thing, to be cherished, nurtured, and fertilized for maximum growth. Latch-on to it with fast hands and don't let anything break it apart. I know that is what Neil Diamond would say, and I have learned that lesson for myself. As for me, the phone call ended, but the lifelong lesson of what it means to have a friend and be a friend, goes on forever. Because, as the saying goes, you really do need to be a friend to have one.

John told me that this song was written by Neil Diamond as a tribute to their friendship. Just listen to the words to the song 'Hello Again' by the one-and-only Neil Diamond, and you too will make the connection:

Hello again, hello

Just called to say hello

I couldn't sleep at all tonight

And I know its late

But I couldn't wait

Hello, my friend, hello

Just called to let you know

I think about you every night

When I'm here alone

And you're there at home

Hello

Maybe its been crazy

And maybe I'm to blame

But I put my heart above my head

We've been through it all

And you loved me just the same

And when you're not there

I just need to hear

Hello, my friend, hello

Its good to need you so

Its good to love you like I do

And to feel this way

When I hear you say

Hello

Hello, my friend, hello

Just called to let you know

I think about you every night

And I know its late

But I couldn't wait

Hello

Written by: neil diamond and alan lindgren