I had an amazing reawakening experience yesterday; hear me out — so CAA represents me on some film producing activities; and has been very helpful to me on my film, Nanking.

An agent there sent me an email saying that an individual producer — writer — director — they also represent stated that he grew up with me in Brooklyn NY; that we played basketball together and attended the same church as me and that he wanted to reconnect.

The individual’s name is James Manos, Jr.. Click here for the Wikipedia entry on him and his career.

James Manos — holy cow — James was the younger brother of one of my class mates — we played hoops all of the time — we were such close friends — although he is a couple of years younger than me — and we lost contact when my family moved to Lowell Mass; in 1972. 1972!

Well guess what? — we reconnected on the phone last night — it was a thrill.  We talked about the old days.  And friends and the neighborhood.  And our heritage and our collective experiences.  It brought back such clear and indelible memories.  We will get together soon.  Maybe we will work together, too on a project.

And guess what? Jimmy was directly involved in my two favorite television series; the Sopranos and Dexter.

In fact — he wrote and helped produced and won an Emmy for the “College” episode of the Sopranos.  He was involved with the Sopranos the entire first year. The College episode where Tony drops his daughter off to visit a school and then finds a rat and has to kill him is one of the most important episodes in the series development.

Then — he went to work on the Shield — with another Greek boy;  this one from Lowell Mass — Michael Chiklis.  What a coincidence.. as I know the Chiklis familiy well.  We all played basketball together at a Greek church in Lowell.

But wait — it gets better.  Then — James Manos conceived — wrote — and produced Dexter.  As many of my friends know — Dexter is one of my all time favorite series — it is dark — and humane and wryly funny — with a very original point of view.  It is appointment television that my wife and I watch every Sunday night when the series is on.

Wow —– James is even dating now one of the stars of the show.

My head is spinning. What a great email to get — what a great and fun reconnection to make.  What a small world, indeed.  Another Brooklyn boy makes good.  I am proud of you James.