Swimming with James Caan

A few years back, well maybe more than a few, I had some extra time on my hands and decided to go for a swim. I was staying at the Hilton Hotel in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It was a hot summer day and a swim would feel good. It was around eleven in the morning on a weekday. Most guests of the hotel had left and maids were cleaning rooms. I arrived at the pool took a shower and dove into the large indoor pool. I thought I was alone but then two men emerged from a doorway and headed towards the pool. Both were tall and appeared to be in good shape. One of them took off his robe and dove into the pool. The other guy, fully clothed, stood at the side of the pool and watched as the other man began to swim laps. He just stood there and watched. He watched the man swimming and every once in awhile glanced my way as I bobbed in the middle of the pool.

Soon the swimmer swam right by me and I got a good look at his face. No Way! It couldn't be. I stayed where I was bobbing in the water as he came by again. Yup It was him. It was the actor James Caan! Now I grew up in a small town so this was a big deal to me. It was almost like spotting a unicorn or the Bigfoot. These things were spoken about, or I read about these chance encounters but never thought it would happen to me. On his last lap with the other fellow watching closely he turned and said Hi to me.

His voice was just like it was in the Godfather. Sharp and quick, and his upper lip kind of sneered but not in a menacing way. His hair was coppery red and his eyebrows so light red that they seemed almost invisible. He was in great shape. he was lean with a six pack and muscular arms and shoulders. I remember one distinct feature about him that I did not know about before. He had real hairy back and his shoulders sprouted thin longish red hairs. But he had this glow about him. I guess say he looked like a...well, he looked like a movie star.

He got out of the pool and slipped his robe on. He and his companion then left. they never once spoke a word to each other. To this day I wonder if the other fellow had been his bodyguard. I would ever find out. I forgot to ask for an autograph but i guess a swimming pool isn't the greatest place to something like that. It was a pretty great experience.