I was in a conference call at work in my office with the door shut this afternoon.. As I st there listening I distinctly heard my friend Don’s voice come through the wall saying that he’d just heard that Peter Falk had died. It was strange to hear .. because Don’s office is an aisle and a half a way.. but I knew what I’d heard.   I got up from my call and, walked over tO Din’s where I found a small group of people sitting around talking about Falk.

I’ve never been a big TV watcher.. but I loved Falk’s show Columbo.. I have always felt a deep kinderment with Lt. Columbo.. his rumpled appearance.. his distracted and disorganized conversation.. his humility and and his sharp mind beneath. II loved the way that this dishevelment and  bumbling disarmed good guys and bad guys alike…. He’d mumble and walk away.. then at the last moment turn and say “there’s one more thing/…” and reveal the clue that crAcked the case.

I think I’ve always used Falks. success as an excuse for my own lack of attention to grooming.. hey.. if it worked for Columbo.. why not for me.. ?

As much as I loved Columbo,Falk’s favorite role for me was as himself in Wim Winders great film WIngs of Desire.. In the movie.. which is half in English and half in German, two angles watch over the grim city of Berlin in the early 80’s .. they can hear peoples thoughts.. Falk has a long cameo as himself.. claiming to be a former angel who fell to earth. He can’t see the real angles.. but he can sense them . The movie is so beautifully shot in black and white.. I found this scene of Falk in the movie

I was trying to find my favorite scene in the movie.. it’s of an old man wathcing a sunset.. saying to himself that none of knows how many sunsets left we have to watch.. the scene has always stuck with me.. I’ll keep trying to find it.

for now.. I need to say goodnight columbo.

but wait there’s just one more question….

nite all, nite sam
-e