The Last Word?

It was to have been Edna Lillich Davidson’s farewell on Tuesday, time to close the book on 42 years of monthly literary luncheon salons at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. But at the last minute she rewrote the final chapter.

The decision to quit had been wrenching. She loves her salons, to which she’s welcomed authors from Ray Bradbury to Louis L’Amour. And although she “doesn’t believe in age” and would never divulge hers, she does get weary, doing it all without help.

So, in early April, she sent fliers to her 56 members announcing, “Final Program.”

The ladies of the club--and a few gentlemen--had come to say goodbye as they gathered at the hotel, where every salon has been held since the first in October 1955.

As Davidson, regal in a glittering long gown, awaited her guests, assistant director of catering Paul Dreher took her aside. She’s special to him and he had been thinking, “Maybe this wasn’t what she wanted to do, deep down.”

He said, “Edna, history’s going to end here. Do you really want to give this up?” Later, Davidson mused, “It was as if he were announcing that someone had died.”

Having asked that she consider one more year, he told her, “You go in there, Tiger, and you tell them what you’re going to do.”

No one could have guessed that Davidson “felt jittery” with indecision as, with her usual elegance and aplomb, she took the stage. A Davidson salon isn’t a salon until she does Broadway.

This day, it was “My Fair Lady,” with Davidson sing-speaking Eliza Doolittle, Col. Pickering and Henry Higgins.

All with perfect elocution, of course.

She’d just made up her mind. “I’m going to go on for another year,” she announced to the applause of her members, to whom the salon is an island of civility in a sea of chaos.

Perhaps, said one, she’d carry on until the millennium. No, Davidson said, “You can count on that.”