From Jenny Jemison

About a million years ago, I was a waitress in Dallas at a tiny Italian restaurant in Lakewood. Willie and his friend Mike were regulars. And by that, I mean that they came in on the same day of the week, and sat in the same table and ordered the exact same (though practically reinvented just for them) menu items.

I always tried to trade a better table for theirs if I wasn't working their section when they came in, because I loved to talk to them. Or listen to whatever funny comments they made when I went by them to pick up pizzas as they came out of the wood fired oven. (Most of Mike's I had to ignore so that my face wouldn't be red when I visited my other tables.)

When Willie found out that I was in the creative advertising program at SMU, he became somewhat of a mentor to me. Despite the fact I was constantly doodling on napkins and receipts, I told him I wanted to be a copywriter. I think that was maybe the same night that Willie didn't order his standard two beers. I asked why and he said jokingly, "Because I've become a teetotaler."

I was a college freshman and had no idea what that meant. I'm embarrassed to admit that, yet, sobriety was not really something I'd considered much at that age. (Or since actually.) Willie said of this obvious vocabulary deficit, "Maybe you should rethink being a copywriter." I took his advice and became an art director instead - and now twelve years later I'm a partner in a design firm in Austin. I really have to thank Willie for that. Although, I think at the time, it wasn't the kind of tip I wanted.

This is one of those doodled napkins that commemorated a Willie visit to La Dolce Vita. ( I'm pretty sure the Hot Enchilada reference came from Mike - ha) Happy Birthday Willie! You remain a mentor to me - living life on your own terms and always always with a sense of humor.