Good Deeds

African-American pianist J.W. "Blind" Boone made his living as a musician during the late 19^th century and early 20^th century. Because Mr. Boone was blind, a man tried to take advantage of him. The man became his manager and asked him to sign some papers for legal purposes. Blind Boone's friend Wayne B. Allen discovered that the papers were large checks drawn on Blind Boone's checking account and the deeds to Boone's property. Therefore, Mr. Allen paid a visit to the man who was attempting to cheat Blind Boone. Mr. Allen drew a pistol, pointed it at the man's chest, and told him, "You've known me all your life, and you know that I mean what I say. Either you tear up those papers, or I'll drop you where you stand." The man decided on the choice that did not end with a bullet tearing through his heart - he tore up the papers. Mr. Allen became Blind Boone's new manager.

"¢ While making a movie of the opera "Carmen," Plácido Domingo ran into a problem. He had promised to judge a singing competition in Ronda in southern Spain, near where they were filming, but the director suddenly decided to continue filming the movie until a late time that day. It looked as if Mr. Domingo could not get away, but during a time when a double was filling in for him he snuck away in a taxi while still wearing his Don José costume. Mr. Domingo arrived at the Festival of Song, explained that he was still shooting a scene in the movie and asked if he could sing a song instead of judging the singing competition. Of course, the people of Rondo were very willing to hear him sing. He sang "Jurame," and he sang "Granada" as an encore, making the people of Rondo very happy indeed. He then took a taxi back to the movie location and continued filming the scene.

"¢ Bill Cosby worked for a while on TV's "The Electric Company," and when he left, a Cuban actor named Luis Avalos took his place. On his first day of work, the directors shot an opening sequence that would be used at the beginning of every episode of the show that season. In this sequence, all the cast members were lined up in a row. Mr. Avalos figured that since he was the new guy, and since he was still dressed in a bunny costume from a skit he had performed in, he ought to go to the back of the line, but co-star Rita Moreno, who was at the front of the line, made him stand in front of her so that he was first in line. Ms. Moreno also told him that he was important and never to forget that. Mr. Avalos says, "Rita is a very hardworking, generous woman. She demands the best of herself and of the people she works with."

"¢ Sister Fidelis, a Holy Cross Sister, gave her life helping wounded soldiers during the American Civil War. She worked in a Union hospital for six months, then she died because the overwork had weakened her body so much that it could not fight off illness. Dr. McMahon cared for her during her illness. He once remarked on the improvements that had been made to the exterior of the hospital, and Sister Fidelis said that she had never seen the exterior of the hospital: "It was evening when I came." Dr. McMahon asked her, "You have never seen the outside of the hospital where you have been living for six months?" It was true. Sister Fidelis had been working inside the hospital, taking care of wounded soldiers. She had not taken the time to go outside. She is buried at St. Mary's Convent, South Bend, Indiana.

"¢ Frank Sinatra did a lot of good deeds in his life. For example, when actor George Raft discovered that he owed $85,000 in back taxes, Frank wrote him a blank check. Mr. Raft called this "an example of friendship that doesn't happen very often in this world." And when actor Lee J. Cobb suffered a heart attack at a time when he didn't have much money, Frank paid the medical expenses and made sure he had enough money to live on. However, many of Frank's deeds were anonymous. When things needed done, Frank often made sure they got done - and he paid the bill. When his mother visited Pope Paul VI, the pontiff told her, "Your son is very close to God." When she asked why he had said that, Pope Paul VI replied, "Because he does God's work and does not talk about it."

"¢ Roberto Clemente treated his fans well during his major-league career. Once, he took a fan in a wheelchair home after a game. Another time, he took an unemployed factory worker out to dinner. Following the 1960 World Series, which his Pittsburgh Pirates won, Mr. Clemente dressed quickly after the seventh-game win and went out into the streets to celebrate with the fans. He said, "I came out of the clubhouse and saw all those thousands of fans in the streets. It was something you cannot describe. I did not feel like a player at the time. I felt like one of those persons, and I walked the streets among them."