After that two weeks with Billy Strayhorn, I roomed with Duke Ellington. Billy Strayhorn went back home to do some composing or writing. He just came out with the band periodically. But I lasted one week with Duke Ellington, because he stays up all night writing music. In the morning when I got up at 9 o'clock, boom, boom, boom, [there's a] knock on the door - no, 4 o'clock in the morning - [a] knock on the door. "Flowers for Mr. Duke Ellington. " Duke Ellington's busy writing, so I had to answer the doorbell. Flowers, telegram for Mr., flowers, telegram - all night long. I had to answer the door, and I wasn't getting any sleep. So I finally told Duke Ellington - I said, "Duke Ellington, if you want a good, strong drummer, I've got to get out of here and get some sleep. " He laughed. That was another experience.