D-Mod, Meeting the off-stage Walter Becker in 2016 was a great honor for me. Receiving the lovely rust-colored silk shirt with tiny, embroidered pineapples on it was beyond wonderful! I will treasure it always as a reminder of the gentleman who helped me when I was struggling in Sandi's office! Walter should be remembered not only for his musical talent, but also for his kindness. D-Mod, we've never met, but I will remember your kindness as well. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for sharing these treasures with us all. One of your posts mentioned not reimbursing the postage, but I will pay it forward with a contribution to the American Cancer Society in Walter's name. Thank you yet again. What a lovely thing to do! 🍍🍍🍍🍍🍍🍍🍍🍍🍍🍍🍍🍍🍍🍍🍍🍍🍍🍍🍍🍍🍍🍍🍍🍍🍍🍍🍍🍍🍍🍍🍍🍍🍍🍍

Well put, Matthew. Couldn't agree more!!! Thank you D-Mod and all the wonderful human beings who take the time to share their personal grief with us. It is an amazing outpouring, a fitting tribute to a wonderful person. BTW, I was busting a gut laughing at the latest newsletter photo. Priceless! More photos, please!

Somehow I don't believe your description of yourself, lol! Next you'll be selling me a bridge! But you made me laugh, and I thank you for that! Count me in for the First Annual Becker Fest! Sunday was so much fun. Let's all "Do It Again!"

It's playing on repeat as this is written. Walter scatting! Amazing! First impression is wonderful. I'll need a few more listens to get all of the lyrics. "My body's broken like a tired punchline..." Thank you for releasing it. What a treasure.

I really wanted to meet you and asked several people if you were there. Was a bit bummed not to find you but respect your privacy. So... Can we ALL meet at the sign next year and maybe have a block party or whatever??? Any takers?

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU a million times over for the street naming! It was WONDERFUL to be there. The giveaway was fantastic, something to be treasured always. I bought a shirt, and could have kicked myself for not buying a few more (maybe to be used for quilting something one day). The entire ceremony was a great tribute to Walter. He will be missed forever.

You both have made my day! Thank you for the reassurance.

Story number two, the longest of the stories: One time Walter asked me if I played music. Sheepishly, I said no and told him I spent 14 years taking piano lessons and never made it out of the second book. I played guitar for 3 years, and can’t play either of the two guitars I own. Castanets? Own them, can’t play them. Tambourine? Own it, can’t play it. No rhythm. Sang in college chorus four years. I was so off key the professor allowed me to stay because he needed to fill up the stage with bodies, but he asked me to “please sing very softly.” Like Salieri, I ached to play music, but musical talent was not given to me by God. Truthfully, I told Walter that I have numerical dyslexia, but not alphabetical dyslexia. There is some recent evidence that people who have numerical dyslexia can never learn music of any kind. Walter looked at me with great skepticism. I told him numerical dyslexia even has a name. It’s called dyscalculia. It was obviously a new word for him. He muttered it over and over, perhaps 20 times or more. You could almost see his brain chewing on every syllable while he mumbled, “Dyscalculia. Dys-cal-cu-lia. DYS cal cu LIA.” He began pacing back and forth as he muttered, staring down at his shoes. Suddenly he spun around to me and said, “Sounds like a venereal disease!” Walter. One of a kind.

Yes, D-Mod, you have identified the location correctly! Imagine game-show-like confetti falling here. Ding, ding, ding! You wanted stories, and I don’t have very many, but do remember two. Here is one: The first time Walter helped me, I had no idea who he was. I was just impressed that this total stranger would help me. So I thanked him for being altruistic. The moment the word left my mouth, I thought, “Oh, cr*p, most men probably don’t even know what that word means.” To my amazement, he snapped back instantly with, “If I’m altruistic, does that make me an al-truant?” Not only did he know the word, he knew how to turn it into a pun!

I have the ultimate WB guitar solo, one that will make every fan totally GREEN with envy. If you recall, I am the person who passed Walter in the hallways from time to time before figuring out who he really was). He was toting a guitar and I asked him what guitar he had with him. He said it was a 12-string Stratocaster. Curious, I told him I’d never seen a 12-string Stratocaster. He opened his gig bag and proceeded to play (of course, no amp) about a minute’s worth of music. It was so unbelievably beautiful, faint, almost ethereal, and then the notes were gone as quickly as he was. He packed up in seconds, and left in the blink of an eye…

Hint: Sandi's office! Does that help? Contact me off-list if you want. BTW Sayan's Father's Day page is soooooo touching. Reminded me of my own Dad, in a way.

Moderator, For the last few weeks I've been trying to figure out how to post a response to your question without revealing too much about Walter, things that perhaps his family wouldn't want made known on a public forum. Suffice it to say that I was BEYOND IMPRESSED by how kind and funny and helpful he was in person. We would pass in the hallway for several months, trade a few sentences, and go our separate ways -- it's New York after all. Who has time to sit and talk? Now I wish we had done exactly that. Alas, too late. Maybe in the next lifetime... No luck spotting his name at the Hawaiian Lantern Floating ceremony, either. I got eyestrain looking. Perhaps he saw it from the heavens. Again, sending peace and healing to WB family and fans.