My personal Pan Am photos are in the above trailer.
An American passenger flying first class invited me to a party that was going to be held in Tokyo. At first I hesitated, but when he said that some Hollywood celebrities were flying in via chartered jet for it, and that it would be held at a well-known restaurant, I figured that I’d be safe enough, so I told him that I would meet him there.
They sent a limousine to pick me up and when I arrived I saw that it was indeed a large group of celebrities. But the only two that I can remember were Merv Griffin and his girlfriend, actress Eva Gabor. By chance I was seated next to Merv who was very outgoing and fun.
At one point, when he had finished eating everything on his plate he reached over to my plate and started taking my shrimp and eating it. “You don’t need those,” he said with a smile. “You’re very small and slim, but I need them.”
The reason that I bring up Merv Griffin is that on his TV show he often asked his famous guests one question that he always worded the same; “Did your parents live to see your success?”
I always felt that was a very profound and heartfelt question. When my Disappearance book was released, the Japan German Society, which I had been a member of ever since being a student delegate to Germany, threw a large party. There was food and champagne, in addition to giving a copy of my book to each of the 300 guests. Some Kodansha Publishing executives came as well.
If Merv Griffin had asked me that question, later in life, I could have told him that my parents came to that grand party and were very proud and happy to be there. You see, publishers are held in high regard in Japan, and Kodansha is the biggest.
I can still remember both my parents, dressed up in their best, with smiling faces, as various friends and Kodansha executives came over to congratulate them on the publishing of their daughter’s book. It’s a nice memory that I have and now understand and appreciate the full and deep meaning of Merv Griffin’s often asked question.
Taken from 'I was a Pan Am Princess of the Sky'. Kindle link below.
View the samples to see my Pan Am photos.
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