The world is small

Tony Bennett, originally uploaded by Chance98.

I ran across this photo somehow at flickr; can't remember where my meandering began, but it landed on THIS picture, as sometimes happens on the web.  It features legendary singer Tony Bennett and his (at the time) longtime love, Susan Crow.

The reason this picture is so interesting to me, personally, is that I went to high school with Susan!  Sat right next to her in English class; sophomore year, if memory serves.  And interacted with her across many venues for four years that I enjoyed to the fullest; I loved high school! 

I remember how we got to talking one day about life, and stuff, as high school girls (avoiding classwork) sometimes do, and she told me she was the President of the Tony Bennett fan club (or something very close to that revelation; time has fuzzed out the details.)  I was impressed, but surprised to hear it, because she was a little "young" for his usual demographic; at the time he was more her parents' age.  The truth is, though, she just loved his music, his persona, his whole vibe, which I never forgot, because it was so... well... odd, and admirable, that she could be so revealing and truthful and okay with it.  And she translated all of that into something so much more than just another embarrassing schoolgirl crush; she ended up supporting him directly by managing his fan club and getting involved in his world.

My understanding at the time was that this wasn't some backwoods, dorky, badly-run high-school version of a fan club, either; it was THE Tony Bennett fan club, or something close to it.  Obviously, over the years, her involvement brought her near him. 

I've seen her on TV several times over the years, including once, in the audience at the Oscars, the year Tony received a special award there.  She was radiant in, I think, a gold gown.  She's been the subject of many of his paintings and as such has been published in several art books featuring his work. which I've stumbled across at Barnes & Noble more than once.

She looked EXACTLY the same back then, in high school, as she does in this picture, taken in 2007, which amazes me.  Knowing her at little bit, she's probably managed this without an iota of plastic surgery.  She has always had a very natural healthy way about her.

I remember Susan fondly, as someone so smart she's nearly brilliant; very down to earth; preppy and classically styled (even now, apparently!); and incredibly kind, which is all too rare in this world.  I read once that she became a teacher, which is my graduate training, too.   I remember really liking and admiring her, even though we were never close friends. 

I was ecstatic to read that she and Tony married last summer, especially since I ended up with a much older man (14 years, to be exact) myself.

We're long out of touch, she and I, and her life is so different from mine now -- I think she lives with Tony in a beautiful apartment in New York overlooking Central Park, and takes limos regularly! -- but I was just so tickled to find this picture I had to share it, and my association with the lovely woman in it.

Here's a dressier, 2004 version of this classy couple which I found online.  I'd recognize her anywhere, even now.

Photo courtesy ViewImages.com