The first time I went into CBGB's the first thing I noticed was the aroma of the Bowery and started to metaphorically become intoxicated in the history. Not really knowing what to expect, I began just looking around at things, touching them, gliding my hand over things in a whimsical fashion, slipping into the time warp.

"Excuse me Miss, are you looking for something?"

"I am kind sir, I'm here to meet James Osterberg Jr., I hear he hangs out here." I then paused, turned towards him and said, "Hi, I'm Sarah James" and smiled.

If the smile doesn't get them, the nonsensical things I say usually does and with Hilly it wasn't any different. His expression a bit miffed looking and bedazzled. Thinking about my question and searching for the reference, he then said, "Who?"

"And you are?" I said. Catching himself, he then responded, "I'm the owner here, Hilly's my name...who is that you were looking for again?" His expression changing again, now to bewilderment..

I then quickly and insistently said, "I'm here to meet Mr. David Byrne and I hear he hangs out here."

"Your not making any sense to me", as he confirmed with his hand to his chin and moving his head side to side. I then began running my hand over things again, looked away from Hilly and only said, "Stop making sense!"

My intro now over, going down like clockwork, it became Kristal clear to Hilly at that point, and we both began to laugh. I added, "Sometime Hilly we should go to a little south Indian place and have some great conversation and some Masala Dosa together. I can tell you the origin of Karma or something."

Many conversations later, many life events later, a few short years later, I can only say this about Hilly Kristal...there was no one in all of Gotham to me that was as kind, gentlemanly and as interesting as he was. He was so genuine and real, all the time too, someone any one could depend on, someone that any one could only respect and admire. He always said what he meant and meant what he said, and he meant what he said, one hundred percent.

I will never forget this man and his fine contribution to all of us, to all of Gotham and beyond. He truly was original.

Sarah James:-)