I first encountered Ashleigh Brilliant in an evening art class. He was handing out free postcard Pot-Shots to all the students. Recognizing him and his cards, I told him I had once sent him some ideas for his cards. He pulled out copies of his two rejection cards, and asked which one I had received. Mine said, “The answer is NO, but isn’t that better than no answer at all?”
Since my response was the better of his two rejections, we started talking to each other and then continued to do so for the next 40 years. I later learned he never accepted anyone else’s suggestions for new Pot-Shots.
Our friendship continued over the years with walks, talks, arguments, and much laughter. We talked about life, mostly his, which was certainly more interesting than mine. Plus, he kept diaries from childhood — with all entries neatly typed. I practiced my comedy routines with him. Plus, lunch out, dinner out — the usual stuff. Almost 40 years of shared lives.