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I met Quincy Jones in Seattle. We were kids together... liked each other when we met and have been close ever since. He wasn't writing when we met - in fact, I more or less started him off to write; voicing, harmony, and stuff like that.

In our day we went from - we went into saloons. We couldn't cross over like you can today, get a television series and all of a sudden you're a major movie star, you know.

Television and I grew up together.

Every time I flicked channels, there I was, talking. I was talking too much and writing too little. So Naomi and I went to Hawaii. The phone was cut off and we lost touch. This gave me the chance to have a good think about my life.

I used to be friends with Miles Davis. He didn't like many folks. I lived across the street from him.

We were a very small circle of writers. Everybody brought to the table their own life experience.

I met Patti Smith, which is not Hollywood, but that really blew my mind. I love her. We were at a very small party, too, on a boat, and I totally fanned out. I told her that I loved her, and wasn't cool at all.

Starting in '98 when I was researching 'Traffic,' I got to meet really serious people in Washington, which for a screenwriter was kind of a great gift. And I really valued these guys; I stayed in touch with them, and I find their point-of-view quite interesting.