Naaah! It’s Just a Scratch, I’m Fine

Hi Bill,

I woke up this morning thinking about some of the painful injuries that I endured during my childhood. I suppose my pain was pretty much the same as what most other kids endured. Anyway, I remembered the following painful incidents.  

In a previous letter, I believe I mentioned the application of my teeth to the street pavement after flying over the handle bars of my bike while our family was living with Grandpap in Altoona. That was the first appearance of the “Flying Clark Show” and it was a stunt that I was proud of for a long time. My crooked teeth continued to remind me how acrobatic, daring and entertaining I could be, especially after picking myself up from the concreate while screaming in pain. However, this morning I remembered that my self-mutilation did not end with that smooth move.

Let’s skip a few years to when we were living in a fairly rural neighborhood on West Plank Road. I was in maybe third or fourth grade. Evidently, the pain and humiliation of my teeth-to-the-pavement trick didn’t instill much fear (or wisdom) in me. I loved the swings in the playground area of my elementary school. As I think back now, I realize how high those swings could go when you really pulled on those chains and leaned appropriately. It felt like I was flying when I was on them. Of course, hanging onto the chains and keeping my skinny butt on the seat of the swing was not really flying, and my friends and I really wanted to fly. I’m sure you remember what the consummation of wanting to fly required. It required flying off the swing and through the air as high (and far) as you could go. Yes, flying on the school playground was strongly prohibited and the consequences of flying were not something to be trifled with. Those teachers were like concentration-camp guards. However, us grade-school guys were not going to be intimidated by them. We had to fly and we did it anytime those guards were not watching. We also tried to get as high in the air as possible before leaving the plane (I mean the swing seat). I wasn’t going to be outdone by those other guys either. I could get higher than they could and fly higher and longer than they could. Unfortunately, I didn’t always have a very well-functioning landing gear, which finally resulted in a very unorthodox landing from that high-flying swing. I was told by other playground friends that the landing was very comical, but I wasn’t laughing. My left arm was screaming in pain, but I did not scream or cry. The guards would know that I had jumped from the plane and I did not want to face their rage. I also did not want my comrades to think I was a sissy. Luckily my flight took place late in the day and I was able to sit in my classroom the remainder of the day and to ride the bus home without showing my pain (I think). When I got home, I cried and screamed a lot until Dad got home from work. Then I screamed a lot more at Dad because he took me to the hospital, where they examined me and x-rayed my arm, and informed him that I had fractured a bone in my arm. I proudly wore a cast on that arm for a while and thought of it as a combat incident. Luckily, it healed very well and has never caused me any more pain. Also, I was much more careful about flying after that experience.

However, that wasn’t the end of my pain. A few years later, after riding the bus home from school I had another agonizing encounter while roughhousing with a neighbor from across the road. You probably remember Mike O. He was several years older than me, but like the other older boys in the neighborhood, he would hang out with us younger guys sometimes after school. Actually I believe our parents encouraged some of the older boys to try to keep us squirts under control and safe. Mike O was a good guy, but he was also a bruiser, which meant he was a big boy who was very strong for his age and liked physical contact. Us younger (and smaller) kids got along very well with Mike, but we had to be careful to protect ourselves. Well as I said, Mike liked physical contact and we often got caught up in wrestling or some other contact-type activities. I don’t remember what exactly we were doing, but during some type of roughhousing in the backyard after school one day, Mike (The Bruiser) accidently stomped on my middle finger (yes, the one you Flip The Bird with) on my right hand. One of Mike’s huge feet, with a huge and heavy shoe on it, just squished my finger like it was a worm. It hurt like hell and I screamed in pain. Boys in our neighborhood had to be tough and crying and screaming in pain was not acceptable. Therefore, I muted further expressions of my pain as much as possible. Mike knew what he had accidentally done, and he was very sorry about it. He didn’t know what to do to help me, but I told him I would be okay, although I didn’t want to play anymore that day. He went home and I went inside and cried with pain for an hour or so until our father got home from work. He was somewhat irritated about Mike smashing my finger, but he understood how boys liked to play rough and knew that it had been an accident. Surprisingly, he didn’t take me to a doctor or anything. Instead, he cleaned the blood and dirt off the finger and then soaked it in some warm water with Epson Salt, which was a popular home remedy for bruises, minor cuts, strains, contusions, and all kinds of other painful afflictions back in the day. I don’t remember that the soaking helped much, but repeated soaking seemed to help some. He also applied some antiseptic cream and band aides to the finger. That injury was another lesson in dealing with pain for me. It took a while for that finger to recover. The finger nail has never been the same since that stomping day. It still remains mutilated and needs frequent attention. In addition, the joint near the tip of that finger remains noticeably deformed although it functions well and without pain. Every time I look at it I remember Mike O and wonder where he is and hope that he is well and happy.

Clark - age 10

There were certainly other minor injuries that I endured but nothing worth remembering, until my Junior High days. Surprisingly, I decided that I wanted to play football in 9^th grade. I was tall and felt indestructible and strong at that time, but I was also very thin. Our parents were not enamored with the idea of football. Instead they encouraged basketball, and of course I played baseball every summer. However, I wanted to be a football star! Although I suffered an injury during preseason practice, I got through the preseason training fairly well and played an “End” position during most of the season. You can read about my football prowess (or lack-there-of) in a previous letter entitled: I Don’t Wanna Play Football.

Bill - Since you are eight years older than me and you finished high school in Altoona after we had moved, you were not around much during most of those times, except during some summers. Usually, you were either in school, spending time with friends in Altoona, playing in the Altoona HS Band or in the Tyrone Gardner Guards Drum & Bugle Corps, or working. As I got older, you were off to college at Clarion, PA. The parents and I missed you, but you did what was right for you and you certainly deserved to do so. I appreciated that you still kept in touch with me and made time for me when you could.

Anyway, I hope these letters evoke some fond memories of me and that West Plank Road neighborhood “Back In The Day.”

I also hope all is well with you and your family.  Take care.

Sincerely,

Clark 

Family Fun in Fargo

Hi Bill,

This morning I decided to write about our recent trip to visit Zeb in Fargo, ND.

Friday, September 23, 2016

Rayna, Pat and I drove to Fargo this afternoon to celebrate Zeb’s birthday with him. We have visited Fargo many times because both Rayna and Zeb went to college at Moorhead State University just across the river from Fargo in Moorhead Minnesota. Zeb graduated from Moorhead State with a double major in Economics and Paralegal and landed a paralegal job in Fargo a few years ago. He likes Fargo very much and Pat and I have come to also like it very much.

Anyway, we got up early (for us) and drove our three dogs (Lenny. Squiggy, and Zuzu) to Dells Veterinary for three days of kenneling. You would think that the dogs were unhappy to go to the kennel, but they were not. They seem to like it at the kennel probably because of all the other dogs that they get to play with. We always feel bad leaving them, but they really don’t seem to mind.

After returning from Dells Veterinary, we spent some time finishing packing for the trip and waited for Rayna to arrive at about noon. We got on the road by around 1pm for the three-and-a-half-hour drive. Pat took the first driver shift and it was a nice day to make the drive. However, as we drove north the weather changed and we hit some rain. I took over driving a little south of the halfway point and the weather continued to decline as I drove north. Soon I found myself driving through some heavy rain and eventually through some very thick fog, which was really no surprise because we have experienced bad weather on that particular stretch of road during previous trips to Fargo. I carefully followed the car in front of me at a reasonable distance until we emerged rather abruptly from the darkness into beautiful dry and sunny weather. Then Rayna took the wheel and we arrived in Fargo a little before 5pm.

Pat and I checked into the Fargo Holiday Inn Express where we have stayed many times during past Fargo visits. We rested for a short time in our hotel room until Zeb finished work and joined us. Then we talked for a while and decided that we would eat some burgers at Culvers. Rayna joined Zeb in his car while Pat and I drove separately. We had a nice conversation while eating.

Next, we decided to meet Zeb and Rayna at Barnes & Noble where Zeb used the B&N gift card that Pat and I gave him to buy a few new vinyl albums. I believe Rayna also bought some albums for Zeb while at the B&N. Rayna, Zeb and I are all hooked on buying and listening to music on vinyl, although we usually buy used vinyl instead of expensive new vinyl at B&N. We hung out in the B&N browsing and talking until it was about to close. That Fargo store has been our favorite Barnes & Noble store for many years. Of course, it is very similar to the B&N in Sioux Falls and others where we have shopped. However, the Fargo store seems to have a more cozy feeling, we believe because the ceiling is lower than most other B&N stores we have visited.

It had been a long day for Pat and I so we went to our hotel and sort of crashed. Rayna and Zeb went to Zeb’s new third-floor apartment in downtown Fargo and they stayed up till who knows when talking.

Saturday, September 24, 2016

The Hallman Family in Zeb's Apt.

Pat and I got up around 9am today and had a very nice breakfast in the hotel, where we just relaxed throughout most of the morning. Then we drove downtown to meet Rayna and Zeb at Zeb’s apartment. We were amazed by how neat/orderly and clean his apartment was. During our many visits to his previous apartments we had to endure less than orderly and less than cleanly apartment visits. However, now he seems to be really serious about making this apartment clean and inviting. In addition, he had actually accomplished some very nice decorating, with appealing furnishings and wall decorations, including concert posters, etc. It was hard to believe this guy is our son, but we are happy to claim him. I guess having a real salaried job as a professional paralegal can work miracles.

The Hallman Family in

Zeb' s Downtown Apartment

Both our daughter and son have always been very interested in music and they both were in their HS bands. Unfortunately, neither of them plays a musical instrument now. However, they are both music enthusiasts who collect vinyl records. I wonder where they got that monkey! Anyway, we devoted today to finding vinyl recordings that we must have to enhance our collections. Zeb took us to some vinyl shops in and near downtown Fargo.

Pat joined us for a short time for the first vinyl treasure hunt at Orange Records, where I have shopped during previous visits with Zeb. Pat eventually left us and went to the Nordic Needle where she spent considerable time and managed to find cross-stitch and sewing supplies to keep her busy for several months.

Orange Records has a large inventory of very interesting vinyl and knowledgeable employees to help find what you want. Shoppers are also amazed and soothed by a huge Pit Bull that belongs to one of the employees and hangs out in the shop during business hours. It is a truly amazing dog who could eat someone in a few seconds, but it is extremely friendly and loves to get attention from the customers. Pat, Rayna, Zeb and I all love that dog. Anyway, we spent a lot of time petting the dog, but I still managed to buy four used vinyl albums. Rayna and Zeb also acquired several albums.

Orange Records

Orange Records

Next, Zeb drove Rayna and me to Vinyl Giant, (another vinyl record store), which I had not visited previously. It seemed to be a smaller space than Orange Records, but it was jammed with vinyl, possibly more than we saw in Orange Records. We spent a lot of time looking through their inventory of used vinyl. I walked out of there with six used vinyl records and Rayna and Zeb both acquired probably more than I did. Interestingly, Vinyl Giant also has a resident dog. This one is a small cute fluffy thing named Butters. I guess dogs love vinyl too!

New Vinyl at Vinuyl Giant

Used Vinyl at Vinyl
Giant

After leaving Vinyl Giant with our groovy treasures, Zeb drove by the Nordic Needle where we dropped Rayna off to join Pat. Then Zeb and I went to a Starbuck’s where he is a regular. We got some coffee and a snack and found an empty table among the busy coffee crowd. Zeb knows everybody who works at that Starbuck’s and many of their regular customers and they were all very friendly to Zeb’s father. We sat there talking for a while and Rayna and Pat eventually joined us.

Then we went back to Zeb's apartment, got some really delicious takeout pizza at a local shop and relaxed while eating and talking.

Rayna in Zeb's Apt.

Rayna and Pat

Later that evening we all went to the movie, The Magnificent Seven, which we all enjoyed, even though we had seen the original version of that movie long ago. After the movie, we went back to Zeb’s apartment and just relaxed and talked for a while. Then Pat and I returned to our hotel room.

Sunday, September 25, 2016

We met Zeb and Rayna at noon today for our traditional “goodbye breakfast” at Perkins. Then we hit the road for an uneventful trip back to SD.

It was another very nice visit in Fargo with Zeb. We wish Zeb lived closer to us, but we don’t think that is going to happen. However, Fargo is a great town and a great place for him.

Bill - I hope all is well with you and your family. Unfortunately, it has been a long time since we have been able to get together with you and your family, but I think about you and your family often. I hope my strange letters provide an interesting sampling of my family’s lives over the years. I hope you and your family are well and happy. Take care.

Sincerely

Clark

Lunacy at The Luna and Cheers at Chief’s

Hi Bill,

This morning I woke up thinking about when I was living on North Craig Street in Pittsburgh while I was a student at Pitt. I had lived in Tower A (dormitory) for two years and decided that I had had enough of that. So Richard, Jim, Joe and I moved into a two bedroom apartment in that area several blocks from campus. After a year living with them I moved into a one-room apartment of my own. You may remember that I wrote about living in that area in my last letter. I don’t want to repeat myself, although with my feeble memory I could easily cover the same ground without knowing it.

Clark back in the late 1960s and early 70s

Anyway, today I thought about that neighborhood and remembered two establishments where I spent a lot of time and money. You may have already guessed that those two establishments were bars. Yes, I admit it! I drank a lot when I was in college (and for many years after that). I never really considered that I had a drinking problem, because everybody in college drank a lot. Didn’t they? Well, most of my friends drank a lot. Of course, my affinity for alcoholic beverages actually began while I was in high school, but I think I probably already covered that in some previous letters.

There were two bars on North Craig Street where I (and my friends) hung out.

The Luna was a typical college bash bar that played loud music and attracted college students mostly from Pitt, but also from Carnegie Mellon University. I began partying in The Luna during my junior year even before I turned 21. I was usually able to sneak past the bouncer when the crowd was overwhelming him. After I turned 21, The Luna remained my bar of choice and my friends and I became regulars since we lived practically right across the street from it. The Luna was a large bar that was more like a nightclub for college students. It had a u-shaped bar that extended out from one of the walls, with seating around it and plenty of space to stand and dance and generally let your freak flag fly. Although, during weekend evenings it was extremely crowded and actually difficult to move around in. However, the music was loud and the beer was great, so we spent many hours drinking and talking (actually yelling at each other because of the loud music and other yelling people) in The Luna. It makes me realize what an idiot I was back then when I think about it! The thing was though - I liked the crowded Luna and after a few beers I didn’t even notice that the crowd was full of drunken college students who couldn’t control their emotions and actions, or even keep their liquor down. Anyway, The Luna was a typical college bar where we could party, dance, yell, drink and totally lose control of ourselves. I spent many enjoyable hours doing that (which I often could not even remember the next day) and I also spent lots of money (which I couldn’t really spare) in The Luna.

During the summer after my junior year in college, I met Pat and instantly fell in love with her, although it took me awhile to convince her to hang out with me. Eventually she even accompanied me to The Luna. Although she was under 21, she was usually able to slip by the person checking IDs at the door. However, she gradually convinced me to not spend as much time in The Luna, and I didn’t seem to mind that at all.

Okay so I am supposed to be writing about two bars, not my love life.

The second bar was practically across the street from The Luna in distance, but it was a long ways away in ambience. Chief’s was a small neighborhood barroom that had a bar with a row of stools along it and some seating booths along the wall across from the bar. Most of the customers were older people who had been imbibing there for many years. However, some college-aged people also frequented it. I and some of my friends went to Chief’s when we just wanted to sit and have a beer and talk for a while. In addition, we sometimes had a hardboiled egg and toast or some other quick food. It was a comfortable place where pretty much anyone was accepted as long as they remained cordial and under control. A few of my friends and I went there fairly often to sit, relax and talk. It certainly was not luxurious but it had a comfortable feel. Chief gradually got to know his good patrons and treated us well. Unfortunately, Chief’s was also an inviting establishment for robbers with guns. It was robbed several times during the two years that I lived on that block. However, Chief also had a gun (hand gun) to protect himself and his customers, although I am very happy that I never witnessed him using that gun. My good friend from Jamaica RG practically ate all his meals at Chief’s and he was also lucky enough to not witness any crimes while there. However, there were gunshots in that bar at least once during the two years that I lived in that neighborhood. My friends and I advised Pat to not sample the atmosphere and food of Chief’s and she followed our advice. Thinking back now I believe she would have enjoyed Chief’s ambience very much, but is was wise for her to stay safe.

Bill – Of course, we occasionally visited some other bars closer to the Pitt campus. However, The Luna and Chief’s were surprisingly important establishments for Pat and I when we lived in that North Craig Street neighborhood many years ago. I think it would be interesting to check out Chief’s and The Luna some time when we are in the Pittsburgh area. However, I suppose both those establishments are long gone. It’s probably best if we just think of that neighborhood as remaining the way it was back in the day, when we were young and eager to experience life in the future. I hope your life in the present is as fulfilling as mine.

Take care,

Sincerely Clark

Mystical Joe

Hi Bill

This morning I thought about a very interesting, even amazing, friend of mine from college. In fact, he was even a little mystical. Therefore, I call him Mystical Joe in this letter.

You may remember that I lived in a tiny two-bed dorm room with Raymond (my roommate) during my first two years at Pitt, and Raymond and I remained good friends throughout college. During that time I became acquainted with some of Raymond’s friends, including Mystical Joe who made a strong and lasting impression on me and pretty much on everyone he met.

Mystical was average height, maybe five foot six or so. He was also just a little pudgy, but not fat. He had dark black hair and lots of it (as many of us had during the late 60s and early 70s). He also wore black-framed glasses with some fairly thick lenses. He was not the male model type, but there was something about him that indicated intelligence and strength. 

                Mystical Joe during the late 1960s

At first, Mystical struck me as being a little rough and a bit of a party animal. Therefore, I was unsure about whether I wanted to hang out with this guy and I was careful about what I shared with him about myself. Indeed, he had a very strong personality and he did like to party. During those two years that Raymond and I lived in a dorm room, we hung out with Mystical every once in a while and as I got to know him better, I felt more comfortable hanging with him, but I was still a little unsure. 

After spending two years in that tiny dorm room with Raymond, I joined him and his brother Jesse in a large two-bedroom apartment located a few blocks from campus. We needed another rent payer and we invited Mystical to join us. I shared a bedroom with Jesse, and Raymond shared a bedroom with Mystical. Sharing that apartment with three other guys turned out to be interesting and sometimes difficult, but we endured for one year.

Living in that apartment with Mystical turned out to be a revelation for me. I began to see through his public persona and experience his real character. As I got to know him better I realized that, although he was a little rough and wild at times, he was also a very entertaining, charismatic, compassionate, empathetic, and extremely intelligent person. He was also very serious about getting a good education. Who knew? Well, that was Mystical!

I got to know Mystical very well during our time in that apartment, and I have always been grateful. He was indeed a very interesting guy with a strong personality. Make no mistake about it, he liked to party hardy. He also liked women and seemed to have many of them to party with. He could always find (or put together) a party and it was always a good time, but surprisingly I never saw him totally wild or out of control. He drank, but I never saw him become falling-down-drunk (as I frequently became). Alcoholic beverages seemed to just make him happy and mellow. He always remained under control when drinking.

While sharing that two-bedroom apartment with Raymond, Jesse and Mystical, I was very grateful to have Mystical for a friend. I got along with Raymond and Jesse very well and they always treated me well. I liked them both, but sometimes they revealed a lifestyle and attitudes that I couldn’t quite understand. They grew up in a household that was economically and culturally well above our family’s level and (I believe) above Mystical’s. I often became frustrated by some of their comments, conversations and expectations. However, Mystical helped buffer my relationship with them. Unfortunately, when Raymond and Jesse went home for an occasional weekend, I would sometimes get drunk and voice unpleasant opinions about them and sometimes attempt to demolish some of their possessions. (I’m not proud of that behavior!) Thankfully, Mystical was usually there to get me under control. His long hair and bushy beard tended to conceal how intuitive and caring he was. He helped me through some difficult times and we became very good friends.

Living in that apartment with Mystical, I discovered that the depth of his compassionate social character far exceeded my expectations. He was very active on the Pitt campus, especially within the Pitt student association and several other campus organizations and projects. He was part of a student counseling program to help freshman and sophomore students adapt socially and academically to the college environment. In addition, as a member of another organization, he helped prepare local high school students for the academic and social expectations they would face as future college/university students. He even got me involved with that effort for a semester or so. I met with a HS student weekly, listening to his concerns about becoming a future college student and sometimes about his teenage angst. It was a humbling yet fulfilling experience for me.

Mystical was also a compassionate friend to me during the middle of a busy semester when our father died while I was living in the two bedroom apartment with him, Raymond and Jesse. In fact, I should note that Raymond and Jesse also helped me get me through that difficult time.

I moved to a single sleeping room after that year in the two-bedroom apartment. I made that move mostly because I needed to save money and my share of the rent for the apartment was more than the full rent for the single room. Mystical also moved out of that apartment and, although we remained friends, we didn’t see each other as often and eventually lost contact with each other.

It’s hard to know what made Mystical become the person who helped and inspired me back then. However, I’m sure he had good parents that played a large role in molding him. I just remembered that Mystical mentioned that he spent some time at a monastery at some point, but I can’t remember the details. Certainly, that experience could have also been a factor in developing his compassion. Whatever forces helped mold Mystical, they did a great job. He was special during those college years and he is still doing good work as a political analyst, lawyer, law professor & writer.

Bill - I don’t compare myself to people like Mystical. However, you have certainly been a factor in helping me strive to be a good (although flawed) person. I am grateful to have you for a brother. I wish we could see each other more often.

Take care.

Sincerely, Clark

Those Damn Teeth

For some bizarre reason, this morning I thought about how my teeth have had a big influence on my life. 

As you know, I wasn’t the brightest, or the most coordinated, little kid back in the early 50s and even through in the 60s. Of course some would say I’m still not the brightest candle on the cake, but I try to ignore that reality as much as possible. Anyway, I became fascinated with my teeth when I was quite young and especially when my baby teeth began falling out. I remember the Tooth Fairy leaving money under my pillow or some silly thing like that when I placed one of my discarded teeth there overnight. Yep, I actually bought that story for a long time. I couldn’t really picture what the hell a Tooth Fairy would look like, but she (it had to be a she as far as I was concerned) must have been very fetching. Of course, I eventually ran out of baby teeth and she dropped me like a rotten tomato. Thus began my difficult relationship with my teeth.

When I began getting my permanent teeth (I was told they were permanent), I didn’t realize how much attention and care they would require, and I didn’t realize how much they would affect my life. The problems all began when I was expected to brush them excessively every day, but unfortunately they were not satisfied with just all that brushing. I was expected to be careful and take care of them like they were some kind of valuable gems.

Unfortunately, little Clark didn’t want to worry about teeth. I remember one of my first serious breaches of care happened when I took a header over the handlebars of my two-wheel bike on a street near our Grandfather’s house in Altoona. Evidently, I decided it was better to land on my face then to put my hands out to prevent the “teeth-hitting-the-pavement” landing. It was an early example of poor decision making that would continue throughout my childhood and teenage years. Anyway that “teeth-hitting-the-pavement” event left me with a straggle-tooth mouth and some cuts and bruises, but I somehow was able to save my nose. The parents were upset, but I was not too upset at first because I didn’t realize how much those wild-assed teeth would affect my future life.

I eventually got accustomed to the “Bucky, Bucktooth, Beaver-Face” nicknames, but over time I became obsessed with those crooked front teeth. Eventually, our parents took me to an orthodontist (Dr. Whirlie or something like that.), and that resulted in new nicknames, such as “Wire-Mouth, and even Bucky Wire-Mouth, etc.). However, it was a step in the right direction and after a few years of wearing braces my teeth were straighten and aligned with each other. Eventually, the braces came off, but I had to wear a “retainer” on them at night, which continued for several years.

Unfortunately, the difficult relationship with my teeth continued to be a problem. When I was a teenager, I discovered that not everyone liked me when a rather big guy decided to punch my face. I don’t remember the underling details, but I must have irritated him because he slammed a fist right into my mouth and one of my front teeth was never the same. It stayed in my mouth, but it hurt for a while and it became slightly dark over time and has caused some pain ever since that punch.

Thinking back about all this teeth angst, I believe that perhaps the worst thing about the “Braces Experience” was that it planted a deep-seated time-bomb of interest in dentistry and orthodontics that festered somewhere in my cerebral cortex. That ticking time-bomb exploded when I was about to begin college. I declared that I wanted to become a dentist and I wanted to attend the University of Pittsburgh because it provided an undergraduate pre-dental program and a dental graduate program where I could achieve my goal of becoming a dentist.

I enrolled at Pitt and began the pre-dental program that would enable me to enter dental school during my senior year. Therefore, I had to complete many science courses through my first three years at Pitt, which I endured fairly well.  However, I also enjoyed several humanities courses and really enjoyed psychology and sociology courses, but they were hard to fit into my schedule because of all the science content that was required for the pre-dental program.

Well, I was very pleased to begin dental school during my senior year at Pitt, but I had to buy about a thousand-dollars-worth of dental tools, which was a financial strain. I figured it would pay off when I finished and opened my dental practice. The dental curriculum was of course loaded with many scientific, medical, and anatomical type of courses, which I was expecting. I was accustomed to scientific studies, but the anatomical content proved to be a challenge.

During that first semester in dental school all of us newbie dental students were assigned a cadaver. Yep we each got a dead person to work on. I certainly had been warned about that anatomy content, but the reality of working with a cadaver was not for me. I tried to endure, but my common sense told me that Clark was not suited to cut and sew dead people and probably not living people either. Near the end of that semester, I retired from dentistry.

I was deeply in debt, but I had not completed my undergraduate degree so I got more loans and completed a bachelor’s degree in psychology, which I enjoyed very much. I retained the dental tools that I had wasted over a thousand dollars on, but I eventually sold them for scrap metal or something. Of course, I did not get anything close to what I paid for them.

Anyway, my difficult relationship with teeth continued, because the one that was damaged in the fight during high school continued to give me problems with pain throughout my life. I recently had a root canal on that tooth because the pain was becoming difficult to handle. Happily, that tooth is cooperating very well now.

Unfortunately, I expect to have more difficult experiences with “Those Damn Teeth!” However, I’m determined to keep them as long as possible. 

Bill – I know you have had many unforgettable experiences in your life and I would be delighted to hear about them. It would be great if we lived closer to each other so we could get together more often. However, I know that is never going to happen. I guess letters and phone calls will need to suffice. I hope all is well with you and your family.

Take care.

Sincerely, Clark

Let's Move To Sioux Falls!

Hi Bill,

I thought you might be interested to know that Pat and I decided that we might want to move to Sioux Falls. We have a perfectly comfortable and charming house in a small charming town north of Sioux Falls. However, we had been thinking that it would be good to live in a nice neighborhood in the city. We would enjoy not having to drive into the city and back so often to take advantage of restaurants, stores, events, etc. Also living in Sioux Falls would enable us to get together with our daughter more often. We also thought it would be good for me to eliminate the yardwork that our large lot and several large trees require.

We began looking at neighborhoods in Sioux Falls and identified several of them that appealed to us. Then we began attending open houses in those neighborhoods. We saw lots of very nice houses that we thought would work for us and we decided to take the next step, i.e., finding a realtor to help us get a new “Home Sweet Home.”

As luck would have it, we encountered a realtor while we were attending an open house in Sioux Falls. She was very friendly and chatty, and she was affiliated with a firm that one of Pat’s friends recommended. Pat struck up a conversation with Ms. Realtor, which didn’t surprise me. However, I was surprised when she asked Ms. Realtor if she would work with us during the sale of our house and the purchase of a new house. Of course Ms. Realtor accepted Pat’s offer and we were on the road to a new home in Sioux Falls.

Selling Our House

Before we could buy a new house, we knew we would need a buyer for the house we have been living in for 15 years. Of course, Ms. Realtor informed us that we must declutter our house and do some interior painting to help entice potential buyers. Declutter, what a nice word to refer to eradicating our treasured possessions! Of course, we already knew that was necessary and we were eager to comply with Ms. Realtor’s (let’s just refer to her as MR from now on) suggestions. She suggested that we rent a large Pod where we could store our unnecessary stuff (furniture and other things that we didn’t want potential buyers to see). We complied and soon the largest Pod we could get arrived in our driveway. We were ready to make our house look great for some lucky buyer.

Shortly after we began decluttering, we discovered that MR’s expectations concerning decluttering, painting and cleaning went far beyond our expectations. MR transformed into a dictator who ordered that our house should not reveal any of our personalities or preferences. She determined what few pieces of furniture we would be allowed to keep in the house. She also dictated that all area rugs, all clocks, most lamps, and virtually all decorative things had to disappear. We actually spent one eight-hour day with MR in our house informing us what had to go, what needed painting and how the few remaining possessions would be arranged. Most of our possessions went in the Pod, although we also got rid of many things (which was mostly a good thing).

I must say that Pat and I were shocked by MR’s authoritarian transformation and we considered what we should do. Previously, we had worked with other realtors and sold two homes without needing the elimination of any charm or character from them. However, MR kept reassuring us that she would be able to sell our (soon to be stark and characterless) home and we decided to continue working with her.

Finding a New Home

MR proved to be very helpful in finding potential new homes in the Sioux Falls neighborhoods that we liked. We saw some individual homes, but we eventually decided that we wanted a twin home where the lawn and snow removal would be taken care of for us for a reasonable monthly fee. We saw lots of twin homes located in very nice neighborhoods.

We also thought it might be wise to downsize from our 2,350 square-foot house on the golf course. Therefore, we began focusing on smaller (around 1,300 square-foot) domiciles. We viewed several very nice small homes. However, we soon realized that we were not ready to eliminate most of our possessions, and we kept increasing the sizes of the homes that we viewed. I decided that I certainly was not ready to get rid of my pool table and Pat was equally adamant about retaining most of our furniture and other possessions. Consequently the size of the homes that interested us became larger and larger during our house hunting safaris. Since our banker (bless her heart) continued to reassure us that we could afford a larger home, we figured why not.

Eventually, we found the perfect home for us. It was a wonderful twin home in a beautiful neighborhood where all exterior maintenance would be taken care of for us. The house had everything Pat wanted including a beautiful white kitchen with stainless steel appliances, a large living room, a four-season sun room, three bedrooms, luxurious bathrooms, a deck, etc. It also had everything I wanted, including a large family room that would accommodate my pool table and a three-car garage where I could have a workshop to mess around in. It was a fabulous home. It was also bigger than our current house! So much for downsizing?

Selling Our House

Well, we still had not sold our house on the golf course, although it was finally ready to put on the market. MR put the “For Sale” sign in the front yard and posted the house listing online, etc.  We were on our way to moving to utopia in the big city, with the blessing of our banker.

Now, MR had forced us to completely eradicate any charm from the interior of our home. I mean, Pat and I could hardly live in the house because everything that made it a comfortable (and inviting) home was gone. We struggled to live there with stark walls and nearly empty rooms. Almost everything we enjoyed about the house and its furnishings was gone. We were not happy, but MR was relentless that it would sell.

Our neighbors had told us that our house would sell within days after it went on the market, and they thought the price was too low. Many potential buyers walked through our previously-cozy and previously-charming home. However, nobody made an offer on the house. We kept trying, but nobody would buy it. We lowered the price, but not too much because we wanted a good price to help us purchase the new home that we had chosen in Sioux Falls. MR hosted a few open houses, which were not well attended, and we still received no offers.

Remember What the Banker Said

When Pat and I first talked to our banker about selling our house, she was somewhat surprised. She reminded us that we will have our house paid off in only two years and she mentioned that most people don’t sell their house when it’s that close to being paid for unless they absolutely had to move for some reason. She still advised that we could certainly afford to make the move, but she just wanted to remind us how close we were to ending the mortgage payments.

We’re Staying in Our Home

Pat and I decided to stay in our home and we are happy to have made that decision. We like our small town and our neighbors. We also like that our house payments will end within two years and we will then have many enticing options. We also will be able to continue to walk our dogs along the golf course, which we like to think of as our park. Sometimes we get distracted and pursue unwise goals, but things usually work out for the best.

Pat and I know why the house did not sell. It was because MR had forced us to remove all the charm from the interior of the house. It had been stripped almost bare and there was very little to enable viewers to see how charming the interior of the house could be. We also believed that the price that MR had convinced us to list was too high. However, Pat and I were not willing to reduce it too much because we wanted to buy that large home in Sioux Falls, which we now realize that we certainly don’t need.

A Do Over

Since we canceled our move we have concentrated on rejuvenating the interior of our house, including getting rid of many possessions that we thought we could never be without. We have also changed the way the furniture is positioned and purchased some new furniture. It’s like starting over, and it’s actually enjoyable! 

Afterthoughts

The daughter was disappointed we are not moving into Sioux Falls and we still continue to drive back and forth from the city to enjoy the stores, restaurants, etc. But, really, the city is 20 miles from our home and how bad is that? We are now thinking we will wait to move until we really are feeble and I’m ready to give up my pool table (which may be never). Maybe we will let those damned adult children of ours deal with another MR to sell this house after we are gone!

Bill - I hope you and your family are healthy, happy and spending as much quality time with each other as possible. I wish we could get our two families together sometime soon. 

Take care,

Sincerely,

Clark

DC Sojourns - Art, Flowers and the Daughter

Hi Bill

Yes, I am sending yet another letter about a trip to Washington DC. If it makes you feel any better, this will likely be my last letter about our adventures in DC, unless I suddenly remember some fascinating experience that I haven’t discussed yet. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen.

Anyway, in 2008 Pat and I made our last trip to DC, and this time we took Rayna with us. I think we had decided that we needed a chaperone to help prevent us from wandering away or becoming lost in the underground Metro system. Well, maybe not so much that, but Rayna had never been to DC and it was nice for Pat to have her as a companion while I was attending some of the conference sessions. Our son, Zeb was living and working in Minneapolis at that time and it just didn’t work out for him to join us.

The view from our hotel room

Rayna, Pat and I flew into Washington DC’s Reagan National Airport and rode the Metro to the Dupont Circle stop on north Connecticut Avenue. Then we walked a few blocks north with our luggage to the Washington Hilton. Luckily, there was some mix up with our hotel reservation, which resulted in us getting an upgrade to a much larger, more posh, room with a balcony. That evening, we walked around the neighborhood and had a nice meal at a nearby restaurant. 

Rayna in our hotel room

We miss this DC neighborhood

The next morning, I went to my conference and Rayna and Pat spent most of that day, and the next, together on Connecticut Avenue and in the National Mall area checking out the shops, restaurants, and museums. Rayna had lived in Minneapolis for a few years so she was fairly comfortable in big cities and she was eager to see some of DC.

The three of us were (and still are) prolific readers. Therefore, we all spent time and money in two of our favorite DC bookstores, Kramer Books and Olsson’s Books and Records. Pat and I were sad to recently discover that Olsson’s had closed all six of its stores for good a few years later.

I will let Pat write about how she and Rayna spent their time while I was at the conference during the first and second full days of our stay:

Hi Bill – I’m just going to give a few details of Rayna and I walking around DC. 

First, in DC, you walk and I mean walk until you drop.  For Rayna and I, we started by walking to the Metro.  The Metro station at Dupont Circle has a steep, very steep, escalator to the trains.  I always feel as if I’m descending into Hell on that ride.  We took the train to the Mall area and walked to the National Art Gallery to see the artwork and have lunch in the café.  The atmosphere in the Gallery café is just splendid.  We also visited the Asian Gallery of Art on the mall area and the Smithsonian where we looked at the gems collection, including the Hope Diamond.  Next day, we decided to hit whatever shops looked interesting along Connecticut Avenue.  Went into Kramer Books and bought some books but also just enjoyed the environment.  Kramers has a small café at the back of the shop where lots of people have lunch or coffee.  The bookstore itself is really unique with all the variety of books they carry.  We moved on to a bead store – Beadazzled.   Always beautiful stuff there and Rayna bought a ring that she is still wearing every day.  We went to the small park at DuPont Circle and we were able to rest our feet.  Then getting hungry we traveled back up Connecticut Avenue to a wonderful café called Tea-ism.  We ordered lunch and got coffee and tea.  Again, the building is an old historic structure with a dining area upstairs overlooking the streets below.  It’s the atmosphere that is so amazing.  Both days were wonderful for the two of us to wander around.

Hope Diamond

In the evenings, Clark would join us for supper.  I remember we went to a seafood restaurant and a delightful older woman was our waitress.  She asked if we wanted wine but we didn’t know what was good.  She stated that she did not particularly care for wine but the staff was required to sample all the different varieties.  She said she usually spit her sample out but there was one she thought was good.  We each had a glass and it was a lovely meal.  Another evening, we went to an Italian restaurant and as the evening was warm, they had opened a wall to the restaurant that was all folding doors, so the restaurant seemed to be spilling out onto the sidewalk.  Lord, I do sound like a tourist from South Dakota but for us (at least for me), it was a great time and we got to experience things that just don’t happen around here.  I really want us to go back again sometime soon. 

Well, bye for now Bill.  I’ll turn this back over to Clark.

After spending two days at the conference, I joined Pat and Rayna for the next two days to visit the National Mall area. We enjoyed those days seeing several fascinating museums. Rayna was an art major in college, so we spent much time in The National Gallery of Art, in the Sculpture Garden, and also visited the Museum of Modern Art.

Pat and Clark

Rayna

In addition, we toured The U.S. Botanical Garden and Conservatory. It is a living plant museum located on the National Mall across from the U.S. Capitol. Pat and I had not seen the Botanical Garden previously and it turned out to be a wonderful experience. They were having an orchid and quilt show at that time, which added to the pleasure.

Minky Likes Flowers

Rayna and Clark

Pat photographing flowers

Aside: while we were walking past the Capitol Building, a backpack was found on the steps triggering an alert and everyone was sequestered in a certain area for a while.  Turned out that some school children had been touring the Capitol Building and one of them had left their backpack behind.  In DC, that causes chaos.  Later while we were in the Botanical Gardens, another security event was triggered and we had to shelter in place.  This time we were sequestered on the patio of the Botanical Gardens.  These events turned out to be minor, but sadly they did remind us of the ongoing threat concerns in government tourist areas.

We all had a great time both in the National Mall area and in the neighborhood around Dupont Circle on Connecticut Avenue. Pat and I were able to share some of our favorite restaurants, coffee shops, stores, and just the wonderful ambiance of that urban environment with Rayna.

I wish we could do it again sometime with both Rayna and Zeb.

The capitol dome beyond the cherry blossoms

Bill, I am sure that you have visited Washington DC. I would love it if you would share some of your experiences in DC or other locations with me.

Take care.

Sincerely Clark