Penny Hikes

When we lived on Carlton Way (Between Gower & Bronson - 1 block south of Hollywood Blvd.), which was quite awhile, we didn't have a car.

Of course, we didn't have a car in Kansas City either, but then it didn't take two hours to get somewhere on a bus, cabs were a LOT cheaper, and we had life long friends.

Which made for a lot of boredom (in Hollywood???), but at the time, it did.

So a lot of times, on the weekends when we didn't visit Bob & Shirley Taber (they came and picked us up, all the way from Arcadia, then brought us home.) or Bill & Irene Taber (ditto), or had one of their girls (Karen Taber or Marie Taber, respectively) staying the week end with us, Mom and I went on frequent Penny Hikes.

People probably don't even know what these are today! We walked out the front door (Gramps never participated), and when we got to the sidewalk, we tossed a penny. Depending on prior agreement, heads was right, tails was left. And so it went at EVERY corner. (Sometimes you walk all the way around the SAME block several times, but not usually.)

Penny Hikes can be short or long, but the Penny Hikes Mom and I went on almost always included a lot of talk and laughter (and sometimes arguments!), no matter how long we spent doing it.

Disco Duck

One night, I was dancing a fast dance with someone at the Holiday Inn, and Disco Duck cut in!

Now I mean the real Disco Duck, in full costume! So there I was, on the dance floor dancing with a duck! We did talk a little as we danced, and he claimed to be the 'real' Disco Duck.

After the dance, The Duck escorted me back to my table and headed for the bar, where he drew quite a crowd. He stayed about an hour, then left.

It was fun to say the least...

The Birth of a Son

(an email to Jon - October 3, 2005 7PM)

Sitting here having a cup of coffee and thinking of you.

Thirty-Seven years ago, at this very minute, I was waiting for your Dad and Granny to arrive (I had called them & told them the contractions had started).

We had dinner, I put Lisa down for the night, and at about 10PM, I called Dr. McAnnich and let him know the contractions were every 5 minutes and that we were going to have a baby tonight. He told me to go to the hospital (Glendale Memorial). I didn’t tell your Dad or Granny that, not wanting to sit around the hospital for HOURS, I just made another pot of coffee, and sent them off to bed for a few hours sleep.

So you and I were alone at the kitchen table. I was wondering if you were a boy or girl, what you looked like, and I was thinking how wonderful it would be, at last, to hold you. It was really kind of a pleasant time…

Suddenly, about 2AM, the contractions dropped to every 3 minutes and got much harder. I woke your Dad, quick!

It was a half-hour drive to the hospital; there was actually some doubt that we’d make it there before your arrival. Your Dad was mad at me for waiting so long!

We got there, with enough time left to check in! You were born at 4 AM. Soon your Dad was handing out cigars, and your Granny was calling everyone in the family.

I almost can’t believe that so many years have passed. That you are now a middle-aged man and have kidlets of your own!

I miss celebrating your Birthday’s with you…

Have a HAPPY BIRTHDAY, and may your Birthday Wish come true!

Mom

Shakespeare and Ashbery

Though we were very poor, and didn’t even have a car, I found much to do as a teen in Hollywood.

For one thing, at that time, Hollywood boasted any number of excellent, small bookstores, used, rare, etc. Once I found them, I spent much time in them, and the owners did not seem to mind me standing in the close packed, usually dusty and dim, aisles, reading. I didn’t have the money to BUY a book, but I did much ‘spot reading’ in those wonderful shops.

It was in those stores that I discovered Shakespeare’s Sonnets and John Ashbery’s poems. I was enchanted! I would note what pages I was on so I could pick up where I left off when I went back.

I had not yet thought of writing poetry, didn’t think of myself as a ‘poet’, but the seed was planted.