Chez Saputo

Charlie the Italian Greyhound mix, had a bad childhood. He doesn't like to be held. (Click images for larger versions.)
Charlie the Italian Greyhound mix, had a bad childhood. He doesn’t like to be held. (Click images for larger versions.)

In spring, the view from Peter's deck is obscured by foliage. Not so in winter.I’m spending a few days this week with my old (exactly 70 as of Feb. 2) actor friend, Peter Saputo. He’s led an extremely interesting life in the theater and now draws an Equity pension, which fact alone makes him unique in my circle of friends and acquaintances.

The sign on Peter's porch door, which serves as his front door, gives due warning.He’s worked off-Broadway, appeared on game shows (yes, many of the “ordinary citizen” contestants actually are actors) and even performed in the national tour of Me and My Girl that Tim Curry headlined.

Temple Theatre’s producing artistic director, Peggy Taphorn was a dancer with that same tour and Peter lights up at the very mention of her name. He takes a similarly infectious delight in most aspects of his life, which he’s quick to point out has been quite good. His little mountain home in Tryon, NC has been a regular retreat for me since he and I met while doing A Child’s Christmas In Wales together at Warehouse Theatre in Greenville.

Several years and many visits later, I’ve come to think of Peter’s downstairs bedroom as my own. He’s owned four dogs since Wales, only one of which remains among the living. The survivor is Charlie, an Italian Greyhound mix whose personality underwent a radical transformation right after Peter’s chow passed away. No longer ballistically insane, Charlie now comes very close to behaving like a normal dog.