St. Peter and the rest of the bouncers manning the eternal velvet rope must have November 22 marked on their calendars. The list of famous figures who passed away on this date is…varied? random? A helluva cocktail party? (But no drugs please, one of the guests is…sensitive.)
First of all, today is the 45th anniversary of JFK’s assassination in Dallas, TX. I’d suspect he’d be holding court, by the bar, perhaps sharing a cigar with Edward (Blackbeard) Teach (1718). JFK might not have minded Blackbeard’s more…whimsical qualities (they are after all both charming rogues with a naval background) but Commissioner Lin Zexu (1850), he of opium suppression fame, would probably not approve. The literary world would be well-represented with Jack London (1916) and two other guests, C.S. Lewis and Alduous Huxley, whose timing might present a problem, showing up as they did in the same lift as JFK. (One can only wonder at the conversation that took place in the queue on November 22, 1963. The boys at The Gate must have had quite the time sorting out that trio.)
On November 22, 1980 (much to the delight of President Kennedy, who we know had a thing for buxom blonds)