Frank Sinatra Learns The Value Of True Friendship

In 1952 Frank Sinatra was down on his luck and singing to small
audiences at Skinny D'Amato's club in. He planned to go to
Africa to visit his wife Ava Gardner who was there filming the
movie "Magambo" with Clark Gable. She had sent him the airfare,
but Sinatra was broke.

Seated at a lounge table with Joe DiMaggio and Skinny D'Amato,
Frank asked the baseball great for a thousand dollar loan so
that he could buy Ava a gift.

DiMaggio refused. When Sinatra was absent, DiMaggio said to
D'Amato, "I never loan money to a has been." D'Amato asked
DiMaggio to loan it to him. Fiquring the powerful nightclub
owner was good for it, DiMaggio gave D'Amato a thousand
dollars. Later D'Amato gave it to Sinatra. Not loaned, gave.

On top of that, D'Amato bought Sinatra a solid gold watch
saying, "This is to remind you that you'll be back on top
again. And bigger than before." When Sinatra became the most
powerful man in Hollywood a few years later, he never forgot
his loyal friend and performed every year at the 500 Club for
free.

This story has a lot of different things in it to examine. If
you happen to be down on your luck now, or have a close friend
that is in a slump, you can see:

1 - The importance of a loyal friend.

2 - The power of a new watch. (Whether you buy it or receive it
as a gift).

3 - The power of good words to a friend that needs encouragement.

4 - The beginnings of Joe DiMaggio's well earned reputation as
a cheapskate.

5 - The paying back of help received in difficult times.

Whether you're up or down, you help a friend or not, you're
cheap or giving, you are always relating with people. And you
are always either building or destroying a career, friendship,
or reputation.