Remembrances of Nina
Remembrances of Nina Salter-Vernon
POST SCRIPT
From Sandra Cecil:
I remember Nina and I going to see the movie, The Way We Were, just the two of us at the Fox Theatre on Queen Street in Toronto. I felt so mature walking along with my role model. Out of vanity, I refused to wear my glasses and subsequently squinted through the whole movie. But I was thrilled that Nina and I could spend time together. I can’t remember what we talked about, but I know Nina cried near the end of the film when Barbara Streisand and Robert Redford break up.
I recall Nina coming back from a modeling photo session. I loved seeing those pictures of her. The images reinforced my adoration of her. Beautiful, sophisticated, Nina, who in my mind was blazing a trail for me to follow. At the time, I was starving myself to be as skinny as she was.
In Victoria I was there when she met her husband Bob Vernon and it was love. Bob was a charismatic guy, full of energy. Nina got a job at the hippest downtown Victoria restaurant, Pagliacci’s. She was the star waitress there, bringing in good tips each night. Bob was managing a local hot band. They were the “it” couple of Victoria. Bob and Nina always got in to the cool club, Harpo’s, for free. Nobody I knew could pull that off. Dancing with Nina at Harpo’s was the height of fun and frolic. She was a sexy dancer and moved gracefully. She loved to dance with the girls just as much as the boys. Never any preference when it came to dancing.
From her first boyfriend, Jim Cecil:
My fondest memory of being with Nina was when we traveled from Toronto to Key West and onto Victoria, B.C. The year was 1976. We spent about six months in Florida, living in a tent in a place called Lazy Lakes Campground. We were pretty far south so Nina was very happy to keep up with her tan and swim every day. I would usually go to the Coral Reef, snorkeling and spearfishing to bring home something to eat. Nina cooked a lot of great meals that winter over an open fire. I remember how happy we were to be away from those harsh Toronto winters. After months playing “me Tarzan you Jane” we left in our 1958 GMC pickup truck for Victoria, a ten-day drive from Key West. Our top speed was only 50 mph, so we were able to see the country as it passed by in all its beauty in the spring of the year. We didn’t have a radio, so I’d play my harmonica for music . . . . Those were happy times. We were very young and just being alive was compelling.
From Robert Cecil:
The last time I saw her was in L.A. at her home, early December of 2001. There wasn't much left of her body by that time, but her mind, her humor, and her will to continue living filled and overflowed the room. Every breath and word was an effort, but she was chatting and joking away to my two youngest daughters who were with me. She made all of us feel at ease with her plight and the laughter wasn't "typical nervous laughter" because of the situation, but the real deal, humans having fun together!