Last night I enjoyed the company of director, writer, and all-around legend Melvin Van Peebles, in town for a screening of his first film, The Story of a Three Day Pass (1968). Dinner lasted about three hours, and was made up of a number of delicious courses, wines, and after-dinner drinks wheeled to our table on a giant cart. I could get used to that. Not only is he a pioneering director and writer, but, as I learned, he’s also a former Air Force navigator, student of astronomy, and an accomplished marathoner. During dinner, he shared a lot of great stories about navigating B-47s, and he and I talked about running for a bit.

We headed back to the screening room to await the end of the film and the Q&A session to follow, and I had a chance to hang out with him one-on-one, show him around the place, and talk about marathon strategies and his current projects. We listened to his new album, which he just finished mixing, sitting in my tiny office with the stereo cranked up. He had a nice Q&A with the 65 or so people in attendance, and then we all went out for drinks across the street.

The long night got a little longer, and six or eight of us – professors, TAs, students, and Mr. Van Peebles – talked about current movies, his running regimen, and what it was like to be the French delegate to the San Francisco Film Festival in 1968. He was a fascinating person and a genuinely nice guy, and it was a real pleasure to get to know him. We scheduled a running date for the next time he’s in Boston and has his gear with him. I look forward to it.