Bewitched and Beyond: The Fan Who Came to Dinner (24 page)

Me and Wink

Chapter 33

Poignant Goodbyes

My Christmas and her birthday, Kasey and I knew that, after all of our efforts, her cancer had returned, and we weren’t telling anyone because of the Christmas season.

There’s no delicate way of saying these things so why try?

By March, our neighbor, Anna’s fiancé, died.

In May, we lost Valerie Fox.

On June 30th, Kasey suffered a stroke and died on July 6th.

Not a moment goes by without a thought of her. I miss her so.

It had only been six months since I had also lost Wink, and within the year I would also lose Toonsy, that incredible cat that had come to my emotional rescue just a year before.

Damn coyotes.

Those were some of the lowest moments of my life. It seemed that everyone and everything that I loved was gone. My best friend and soul mate, my home, my reasons for even being in Los Angeles and soon the home Kasey and I shared and did so much in would be sold.

It’s not always easy trying to go on with your life when you’ve lost those you love, especially that seemingly once in a lifetime soul mate; but we must.

I’m thankful for every minute Kasey and I shared together and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I’m also thankful for good friends and a sense of humor, which helps me get through the lonely times and face each day with a smile, and in doing so, I honor Kasey’s memory, because that’s exactly what she would have wanted me to do.

Last photo together.

Epilogue

As of this writing, it’s been six years since Kasey’s passing. I continue to work with Rose Marie, taking her to doctor appointments, grocery stores and functions. I fuss at her when she insists on eating things that are not good for her, but I know she respects me for standing up to her and telling her so. I can honestly say that I make her laugh… a lot.

One day while we were out driving, it began to get very cloudy outside, yet it was still quite hot. She commented on the clouds, which immediately reminded me of a famous movie quote, so I turned to her and in my most tragic Bette Davis voice said, “
Yet I can still feel the sun on the back of my hands…”

We both burst into hysterics. Rose Marie was taken aback that I knew this classic line from the Bette Davis movie,
Dark Victory.

We still throw that line around constantly, and laugh like school kids!

Kasey’s grave marker was finally put in place in June 2008. Bewitched fans the world over will be pleased to know that engraved on it is Kasey’s favorite quote from Bewitched in raised, bronze letters:

“WE ARE QUICK SILVER, A FLEETING SHADOW, A DISTANT SOUND.

OUR HOME HAS NO BOUNDARIES BEYOND WHICH WE CANNOT PASS.

WE LIVE IN MUSIC — A FLASH OF COLOR.

WE LIVE ON THE WIND AND IN THE SPARKLE OF A STAR.”

For as long as I’ve known her, she always wanted that quotation on her gravestone for the entire world to see.

She felt it transcended
Bewitched
and applied to anyone who has ever truly
lived.
Kasey Rogers was one of those rare individuals that did just that — she
truly
lived.

As for me, my dreams most certainly
did
come true.

Kasey once told me, “Mark, you may not have gotten a TV series out of this, but when you can make the professionals like Bernard Fox and Rose Marie laugh,
you
are a success!”

Meeting Kasey literally changed my life… Sometimes I find it hard to believe myself that I lived with Louise Tate, ate dinner with Gladys Kravitz, attended the funeral of Darrin AND Samantha Stephens, and became like a son to Dr. Bombay. I also have the incredible honor of calling dozens of stars from my childhood
friends.

I am a success because of Kasey. She will always be the sparkle of my star.

There are literally thousands of photos in my collection that I would love to share but I’m told that is impossible! HA! So the following are just a few that I thought you may like to see. I didn’t really have full stories to go with them so I’ll just put them here with a caption.

Left to Right:
Sid Caesar, Dick Van Dyke, Rose Marie, and Me at the 80th birthday party of director John Rich.

Sandra Gould peruses her book
Always Say Maybe.

With
Bewitched’s
art director Ross Bellah. Ross was also responsible for Jeannie’s bottle and still had a cupful of the large jewels used for the interior of Jeannie’s bottle on his kitchen windowsill!

Here I am shooting my first ever commercial in Los Angeles, oddly enough on the same soundstage that once housed
Bewitched!

Endora makes a “guest appearance” after Sandy and Kasey fool around with the Ouija Board on Halloween! I made that outfit for my friend Scott and the next year turned him into Witchiepoo!

With Rose Marie celebrating singer Kay Starr’s 85th birthday