In 1972 I made one of many trips to England with my New York friend, Louie. This time we went on the giant 747 with the upstairs in first class, and champagne flowing.  The movie we saw on the flight was "Mary, Queen of Scots", and that really put me in the Royal mood.

We went to London

to see the Queen

Sir What’s His Name met us at the airport in a Jaguar, and said we would be going out to Windsor Castle the next morning to see the Royal Family play polo. I said to Louie "is this guy for real"? Sir What’s His Name was an American who had moved to England years ago and sounded more English than the English. He had bought his Knighthood somehow through the Queen’s tailor, and he was from a wealthy American family.

We went to Windsor Castle polo fields the next morning in a Rolls Royce through what seemed minimal security. There were matching bleachers about 12 high, 100 ft. long, with seating in between for what turned out to be for the Royal Family.

The polo game was just like in the movies - the British playing the Americans. Prince Philip and Prince Charles played with the group. Or, maybe it was just Prince Philip. Charles was kind of young then too.

What was completely charming about the whole place was that there was as many dogs as people. Those Royals do love their dogs. As tradition dictates, after a polo set the audience walks onto the playing field to "stomp the turf", where the horses have knocked the grass up.

When in England do as the English, so Louie let’s go stomp the turf. There was a crowd of about 300. Each polo player has to have five horses to play.

We’re stomping the turf, I look around and there between the stands is indeed the whole Royal Family, Queen and all and they look just like on TV. Pulled Louie’s arm, told him to look, he did, he starred, too. Okay, that’s impolite - back to stomping the turf.

Can’t remember who won the game, but we were invited to a cocktail party in the Queen’s tent the next night. Went back to polo games next day, got real used to seeing the Queen tripping over dogs on the polo field stomping the turf. And you always wondered what the Royals did?

After the polo game the Royals had a parade of what must have been "most of the old carriages in their Royal yard". There were dozens and dozens. Some small carriages pulled by small horses, some large, elegant and massive carriages pulled by equally elegant matching hitches of horses. The Chariots. Nobody can outshine the English when it comes to horses.

After the great parade, we walk a few steps over to the Queen’s tent in the background to the Queen’s Cocktail Party. There about 15 feet away is the Queen and Prince Philip. Prince Philip had a hole in his boot - he was showing somebody. I thought, that’s pretty common, just like us.

The "blue ladies" come around with trays serving champagne. I believe these blue ladies are the Queen’s ladies in waiting. Sure guess, that makes sense - they wait on her, they serve her. We drink our drinks. Louie says he doesn’t like the champagne, sees a tray that contains different drinks and asks me to get him a scotch and water. I go straight across toward the tent , and I guess within 10 feet of the Royal family. The blue lady was offering drinks to a couple very distinguished elder me. I ask and reach for the scotch drink on the tray just as the older man was doing the same. He sees that I want it too, and waves his hand that the drink should go to the lady, meaning me. I say thank you sir, very kind of you. Pick up the drink and head back toward Louie.

A Secret Service guy comes up close to me. He says "Did you know that you just walked through the Queen’s Circle." I said "I’m sorry, I didn’t know the Queen had a circle. I was just going over to get a scotch for my friend." The Secret Service guy continued "and you took a drink from the Royal family tray." I said "gee, I’m sorry, again, Louie doesn’t like champagne."

I said "you must be with the Royal Secret Service." He said, "no, no we don’t have such. We’re not like you Americans....we don’t kill . . . . . . . " And he didn’t finish the sentence. I said "well, for whatever you think, Sir, you are obviously a guard of some kind whether you want to call it Secret Service or not." And walked away and took the scotch drink to Louie. Everything went on as normal. We had a great time hobnobbing (if too close) with the Queen.

The next day was another unexpected big time day. Our host Sir had introduced us to a lady who owned some property down the road from Windsor Castle and invited us to come visit her Aquarium Theme Park. Of course, we drove back to London that night and then back in that direction the next morning so I don’t know how close her place was to Windsor Castle, but they seemed to be talking about these little adjoining farms.

This Aquatic Theme Park covered a vast expanse and the stars of the show was some dolphins and this black and white Killer Whale. The whale went around the ring like they do at these places splashing the people and performing his tricks. It was a great show. Then our hostess lady said let’s go visit the whale back stage.

When the whale finishes his performance he pulls into this large indentation in the pool on the side. We were standing back there looking at the whale about 10 feet away and talking with the keepers. Finally, I said to the lady hostess "can I pet the whale". She said yes.

I run over to the whale, get down on my knees, talk to him, tell him I’m going to pet him. I wanted to get that 35-40 foot animal’s attention before I laid on the hands. The whale moved around a bit. Started making some chirping sounds, like a bird. Moved his head around somewhat - looked at me with one eye. Chirped. I talked to him. I touched him. His skin was smooth and cool. I stayed there on my knees talking to the whale as long as I could until Louie said ... we must, must go. I got up and said goodbye to the whale.

I thought seeing the Queen and the Polo games and the other events of the past few days had been spectacular, but if you’ve never talked to a whale, how can you imagine?