"WHEN RON MET FRANKIE"

A true tale of an unforgettable Vegas encounter with a legend.

“WHEN RON MET FRANKIE”

I taught my journalism students about narrative writing techniques using the 1966 Esquire magazine article “Frank Sinatra Has a Cold” by Gay Talese. He wrote his profile without interviewing the iconic singer and movie star, but Talese interacted with family, friends, business associates and others in Sinatra’s orbit. A decade later, one of my “Rat Pack” had an unforgettable encounter with the legend.

         My best Sinatra anecdote comes not from Talese’s award-winning Esquire article but from a dear friend: the late, great Ron Wise from Cleveland, Ohio. Back in the mid-1970s, he and his then-girlfriend, Linda, were visiting Las Vegas. Ron revered “Sin City” and its colorful history.

         One night, he and Linda were at the Sands Hotel and Casino, a favorite Sinatra hangout, when “Ol’ Blue Eyes” entered with his entourage. The awestruck Clevelanders observed from afar. Sinatra was apparently in good spirits on this magical evening. He sauntered through the bar introducing himself and shaking hands. He greeted Ron and Linda, a pair of cute Midwestern twentysomethings. That alone would have made for a great story. But it didn’t end there. Frankie invited them to dinner. The stunned duo joined the group enjoying a sumptuous meal. Afterward, the famed entertainer again approached the Cleveland couple.

         As he drew near, Linda fainted, slipping off her chair. When she came to, there was Frank Sinatra, kneeling by her side and dabbing her face with a chilled linen napkin. As Ron recalled: “I thought she was going to faint all over again.” Sinatra helped Linda up before bidding them a fond farewell.

         Now I’ve met some pretty famous people, but this true tale beats any of mine hands down. Real life, as they say, is often stranger than fiction. And so it was for Ron and Linda on a long ago Las Vegas night.

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