Lady Blue Eyes_ My Life With Frank - Barbara Sinatra [163]
Our friends and family are all buried in that cemetery, so I shall be in the best company; it’ll be just like the good old days. So many of those we had the most fun with over the years are gone now, along with the men in my life—Bobby’s father, Joe, and Zeppo. I’ve outlived them all, and here I am bearing witness to the lives we led and the laughs we had along the way. I think it’s probably the laughter I miss the most—especially Frank’s jackpot laugh, which was music to my ears.
I am rarely alone when I visit Frank’s grave. Photographers and fans often hang around, respectfully keeping their distance as they watch me tell my sweetheart how much I miss him. I sometimes wonder what they think of me, this woman in her eighties keeping vigil for her dead husband. Few know where I came from or how I got there. They know nothing of my life before Frank or how rich it became once I met him. If they only knew the places I’ve been, the things I’ve seen, the people I’ve met on my journey. That was some candy jar! Instead, they watch and they wait, nod a polite hello, and as I am driven away, I see them step forward to better examine my flowers and note. There can never be any privacy for me at Frank’s grave.
Although he is dead and buried, Francis Albert Sinatra touched the lives of so many, across all generations, and will always live on in people’s hearts. The man with the electrifying personality said once that he wanted to be remembered as someone who had “a wonderful time living life.” Well, I too had the most wonderful time, living almost thirty years of that remarkable life as Frank’s lover, his best friend, and his bride.
He also said he wished for those who loved him a thousand times more than the joys he’d known in his life. “I wish everybody in the world a lot of sweet things and pleasant dreams,” he added, “and soft touching, hugging, and kissing.” I was fortunate enough to have had all of that and a thousand times more as Lady Blue Eyes, for which I am eternally grateful.
Sleep warm, Frank. Your memory will always keep me warm, and they can’t take that away from me …