I had eggs benedict with my daughter on my birthday on Park Row. That was a deal with not for simply the corporate, Jenny lives in Florida so we don’t see one another close to sufficient, but in addition due to the meals, which was scrumptious, and the setting. Park Row for many who don’t know, or who’ve forgotten the identify, is the row of companies throughout the parking zone of Valley Heart on South Essential Avenue in Salinas. As we ate our brunch, it was nearing 11 a.m., we in contrast that one block of companies to what I keep in mind as a baby and what she remembered 35 years later.
I needed to frankly admit I don’t recall which constructing the 2 predominant anchors, Penny’s and Sears, every occupied, however I do recall Woolworth’s and Pleasure Pers, which nonetheless exists however not simply as a shoe retailer like after I was a lad, and the Polly Anna Bakery, which whereas nonetheless a bakery is not Polly Anna however the unique signal nonetheless stands, albeit with out Polly’s identify. Jenny recalled a Ford’s being one of many companies, however that I feel got here years after my household traveled to Salinas in late August to buy college garments or in mid-December to scour the companies for the precise presents for Christmas. We ate at a pleasant little place known as Arianna’s, very busy final Sunday, which I feel is situated the place a one-time staple of Salinas buying as soon as occupied, Betty’s Pies. On the alternative finish of Park Row is the place Wayne’s Laundromat did enterprise, as soon as a extremely frequented place for moms earlier than the age of disposable diapers.
After paying the tab, Jenny and I visited with Bob and Debbie for about an hour of their house simply off South Essential, throughout from Salinas Excessive College. I first met Bob when he and I and 14 different single males lived in a large 15-room, two-story home that for many years sat simply previous the outdated Italian Villa on South Essential/Freeway 68; way back demolished. The spiritual group we belonged to again then as soon as numbered within the lots of however scandal revealed it as a cult, and over a brief time period, all went their separate methods. Debbie was our breakfast prepare dinner, which is, I presume, the place the romance between she and Bob developed. Wen Jenny reached her mid to late teenagers and troubles along with her mom arose, Debbie was there. Bob was one of many groomsmen for my marriage ceremony. And although Debbie and Bob are my age, they’ve remained near Jenny for 4 many years now. Then with some slightly fast farewells, Jenny rushed me to the bus cease the place I made it onto the KC bus with seconds to spare.
It was not the top of the day for me, although. Yvonne is on the town for some time along with her daughter Deaira and her son Dayson and her son’s highschool age daughter Future. Yvonne is the second little one of 5, her youthful brother is Rick. I suppose about half of the individuals who attended final SVFair have been born after Rick grew to become head of upkeep, a recognizable face to 1000’s of fairgoers. A gaggle of us met at Rick’s daughter Shauna’s home, I misplaced rely, nevertheless it was fairly a crew with good firm, good meals and good conversations. Heck, I even hopped off the teetotaler’s wagon lengthy sufficient to get pleasure from two chilly beers; one thing I haven’t accomplished in over a 12 months. All in all, it was a memorable birthday amongst many unmemorable ones and I appreciated being alive to get pleasure from it.
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And now it’s time to get again to routine and tonight is the month-to-month board assembly of the Southern Monterey County Heart for the Performing Arts. This group was established with the mission assertion of supporting the King Metropolis Excessive College Auditorium, house of the Robert Stanton Theater. Whereas there have been discussions through the years on how and why that constructing was positioned on college grounds as a substitute of on public land, the very fact stays that it does sit on property regulated by a funds, and budgets at the moment are a lot tighter than they have been when the Auditorium was constructed opened again in 1939, so the highschool wants assist from the general public to maintain that historic theater working. This isn’t a closed group, anybody excited by the way forward for this South County gem can develop into a member, simply shoot me an e-mail and we’ll get you joined up.
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I feel have been my mom alive at the moment she could be as embarrassed by my reactions as she was by my father’s reactions of 80-plus years in the past. She as soon as instructed a bunch of American Legion Auxiliary members, all girls who had served within the companies branches, that when courting my father in Des Moines, Iowa, within the early Nineteen Forties, they have been avid film goers, as have been many People at the moment, and his reactions to Street Runner cartoons embarrassed her. It appears when Wile E. Coyote failed in makes an attempt to catch his prey, often with the assistance of some contraption bought from Acme, and would fall straight down till he disappeared in a poof of mud when he lastly hit the desert ground, my father would giggle til he fell out of his seat. As a baby I watched these similar cartoons with solely gentle humor.
At the moment these cartoons make me giggle till the tears come. Don’t ask me why besides that the coyote’s failures are humorous, approach humorous. And what’s extra, I now am fascinated by what I didn’t actually discover as a child: background animation. Multi-colored rock formations, many with balancing boulders atop slim buttes, cloud formations, small hillocks, huge canyons and even the occasional bush or tree. They added to the entire visible affect in a really delicate approach. I feel I’ll log out now and search for that coyote and his prey; I might use amusing. And couldn’t all of us.
Take care. Peace.
