My last and lasting memory of Arnold was the final time I saw him, on Monday, June 5. I was in Baltimore for my 30th high school reunion and I felt the call to visit Arnold, who I knew was in the hospital because of an email from Mike Newler. I took the train to Manhattan and made my way uptown to see Arnold. I found Arnold to be Arnold – happy to see me, then erasable, then sweet, and all the time worried about Gus. He didn't want to be in the hospital – the food was terrible and the staff inattentive. He couldn't wait to get home and get back to work. We talked about the past and the future. He was interested in what I was up to, but mostly he told me stories – it was classic Arnold. At the end of my visit he wanted to make a "portrait" of me. He used the only camera he had – a little digital point and shoot. As I sat next to him on the hospital bed, he instructed me to put my hand to the side of my face, "Picasso style", and he took one frame. His card was almost full, and he had to be careful so he could take more portraits of his hospital visitors.
Arnold left us the next morning. I may have been his last portrait sitting. I am humbled by this and honored to have known Arnold. I miss him terribly, but will always cherish our final time together.
Reid Callanan
Santa Fe, New Mexico
