Sometime in the 1990s, Barbara was called to appear in an episode of the TV show “Law and Order”. She appeared in several episodes of the show.

In the three episodes that I remember, she played a victim, a waitress, and an executive, but I do not remember the episode in which this story took place.

Do you realize “Law and Order” had a twenty-year run, from 1990 to 2010? An incredible run.

For those of you who have noticed that I have skipped the 1980s in my stories, I applaud your attentiveness.

The 1980s were pretty much taken up with Barbara’s first battle with breast cancer.

In the one episode, that I am now writing about, the production and filming broke for lunch. I do not know what Barbara was having for lunch, but suddenly a man sat next to her eating a sandwich. I think it was a pastrami sandwich.

He was courteous and offered Barbara the uneaten half of his sandwich.

Unfortunately, this man was dressed as a bum which affected Barbara adversely.

He struck up a conversation and asked her questions about her acting career.

Barbara was feeling very uncomfortable sitting next to him. Towards the end of the lunch break, he asked her for her contact information saying he probably could help further her career.

I do not know whether she gave him her card or not, probably not. But I’m sure she couldn’t wait for the production to resume to get rid of him.

Anyway, when I returned from work, Barbara was home preparing dinner.

As we were eating, she told me all about how this “bum” was so pushy asking for her contact information. I commiserated saying it’s amazing how pushy some people can be.

It was a week or two later, the two of us were in midtown Manhattan walking down a street, to where or for what purpose, I do not remember.

Suddenly, Barbara gave me a shove and points to a man across the street, walking in the opposite direction and exclaims, “There he is. There’s the bum I told you about”.

Believe it or not, the “bum” was Jack Klugman. I recognized him immediately, but it was too late to run up to him and say, “Do you remember me”?

She had given him the brushoff when they worked together in that “Law and Order” episode.

Would he have helped her career or was he hitting on her?

We will never know.

This was not the first time that Barbara did not recognize important people that she interfaced with. It was a failing on her part not to have a memory for faces.

Obviously, she would not have made a very good detective.

For those of you who do not remember Jack Klugman, I am including a photo of him (not dressed as a bum, as you well can see).