People ask me how I come up with such mystical phenomena as the Cupeno Indian Rain Dance and other Twilight Zone type capers. My answer is: these visions come to me in a wave of mental images usually around 3 in the morning when I awaken and just lie there. I don' t force anything.. They come to me in a gentle wave. I have learned to trust them. Still, imagine my surprise when I was just lying there when a vision of Pandas wafted into my brain.

Here's the background. In 1971, Richard Nixon went to China in what turned out to be the highlight of his career. He opened up China to the west in a display of charm and diplomatic prowess. He brought with him the United States Ping Pong team and otherwise charmed the Chinese into opening their doors to a trade and diplomatic relationship with us. It was a total surprise. No one thought he had a chance with them. I cannot tell you how or why I came up with the Panda Caper. I am not political and do not usually think globally. But there I was one early morning. just lying there when I saw a vision of Pandas in my mind.

"Pandas...hmm pandas. why ere they here?.....wait minute ... I've got it.....we need Pandas. for the San Diego Zoo. I know. I will call China and ask them for a pair of Pandas.". It never occurred to me that the next step might be daunting. Namely ; separate these rare precious creatures from the Chinese.

Let's see now....: how to phone China? They had no diplomatic relations with us. There was way no way to call Chou En Lai, their ruler, directly.. Luckily, I had a friend in Washington. He was Herb Klein, the White House Communications Director under Nixon.. Herb had been the senior editor of the San Diego Union Tribune and it seemed perfectly natural to call him and ask him for Chou En Lai's phone number.

So, I called Herb and told him my idea. He laughed and smoothly steered me away from the Chinese premier, instead referring me to Toronto, Canada where China had a Trade Commission. He gave me the number and laid some pipe by telling the Commissioner to expect my call and that he would appreciate any courtesy he could extend. to me. I Now to translate the dream into reality.I called the commissioner on the air one morning , a Mr. Tsung. I had expected a man who spoke cartoon Chinese English substituting l's for or 'so. Instead, I was pleased to find a charming pleasant man on the other end of the line. Also one hip guy.

I told him that I knew it was China's practice to give presents to other countries during periods of warm relations and I had a suggestion for that present. He chuckled and asked me what I had in mind. I blurted it out, "Give us a pair of Pandas." Instead of hanging up on me, he sincerely replied that it sounded like a good idea and that he would relay my request to his government.

Imagine the thrill . 'My first high level diplomatic negotiation had gone swimmingly..I had every reason to believe that the San Diego Zoo world soon be welcoming a brace of pandas. This was no longer a morning jock shtick but was a legitimate history making deal between me and the Chinese government ... I was in the big time. I confidently awaited official word from my new friend, Mr. Tsung, confident that he would honor diplomatic channels and contact me first before any public media announcement.

Word came aright. A few weeks after my " official" request to the Chinese, I read in the San Diego Tribune that the Chinese Government had elected to present the United States with a pair of Pandas. The next sentence struck me dumb. They were going to give the Pandas to the National Zoo in Washington, not the San Diego. Zoo..
All of those sensitive negotiations gone awry. Is this how Colin Powell and Condi Rice feel when their sensitive negotiations go into the dumper? I hastily reviewed everything. How could I have gone wrong? I had thought this out so carefully There was no way it was my fau ... wait a minute. It hit me like a tsunami. In my meticulously planned pitch to the Mr Tsung I had forgotten to ask him to send the pandas to the San Diego Zoo. Naturally, the Chinese thought I meant the National Zoo in Washington because it was a state gift....and I didn't specify my home town zoo.

Would it have made a difference if I had specified where to deliver the pandas? The stark shock of it having been eroded by the passing years, I have come to doubt it because the Chinese are a very ceremonial people and the National Zoo had always been destined to receive the pandas. Nevertheless, It still haunts me that I dropped the ping pong ball.