Was Clint Following Dukey…

…or was it the Other way Around?

You expect to meet a celebrity in Sun Valley, Idaho. You might expect him to be rich and famous. You expect to meet people from Seattle, Los Angeles and even Chicago and New York City to enjoy the countryside from nearly 6,000 feet up. The high and mighty are accustomed to viewing things from a lofty height. But what about a guy with a horse from a well- known movie?

A cool snowy breeze was blowing at the top of Bald Mountain when Loni, the gang, and Dukey decided to take a break from skiing. They walked inside for a little something topped off with a little something to drink, of course.

After nine of them — friends from all over the country — were through skiing, because of the blizzard going on outside, they turned to leave their table to take the lift down, when Loni asked, “Do you know that guy coming at us?”. Dukey turned to see who he was looking at, and it was none other than Clint THE Eastwood with a buddy of his. Like a bolt of lightning the line they both knew like the back of their hands hit them at the same time. As if on cue, they chimed in together and addressed him, “You know the man that owns that horse? He’s tall, blond, he smokes his cigar and he’s a pig.” The quote is directly from Eli Wallach in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, Dukey’s favorite movie!

Clint burst out in a big belly laugh — not how you think he might laugh with that Clint smirk you see him do but a heart-felt “Haw, haw” directly from the gut. They talked for a while about Tucco/Eli. Clint is a great approachable guy. Dukey didn’t know he had a house up there. His friend didn’t say much. In fact neither did Clint with two obnoxious Bostonians dominating the stupid conversation.

Later that afternoon the sky opened up, but it was too late to ski any more. So they were on the balcony of this bar at the bottom of the mountain when who do you think came walking by them again. Again we shouted our greeting, “You know the man that owns that horse?” After a two-three minute conversation about God knows what they invited him and his bud to an American Airline flight attendant party that evening. They knew about the event from some lady fans of theirs that they just met. Off he goes again riding into the Sun Valley sunset.

Later on that evening at the party – sure as gravity – here he comes again with his buddy and of course the same greeting from us. Didn’t take him long and he was off, but Duke won’t say with whom else. Not sure of his status at the time.

Three days later Duke’s 850 miles away at Nicky Blair’s restaurant in Hollywood with an electronics buyer client of his having dinner. Dukey heads to the restroom and who is seated along the way? “You know the man that owns that horse?” Dukey asked him. “Are you following me?” Clint asked. They both laughed. Couldn’t believe we saw each other again. Dukey left it at that and let him chow with his three friends! Dukey walked away smiling. He knew the guy “who owns that horse.”