Random Thoughts, December 16th, 2016

Clark recently realized that he had not written a blog post since November 16^th. He hopes everyone is happy, healthy and wise (wealthy as well, which would not apply to him).

Clark has definitely been enjoying his retirement, although he does become concerned occasionally that he does not do much of anything worthwhile these days. That wasn’t a problem when he first retired, because he seemed to have lots of things to do around the house and he attended many events in Sioux Falls, including: the annual suicide prevention walk, Sioux Falls Canaries (baseball) games, movies, arts festivals in Brookings and Sioux Falls, concerts, a couple of trips to Fargo to visit Zeb, and other activities. However over time, Clark has discovered that he doesn’t need to be as busy with activities as he was when he first retired. Recently he has learned to enjoy a more leisurely pace.

He also enjoys spending more time with Pat. However, he has noticed that she does not always want him following her around the house and constantly yacking about some stupid or annoying topic, such as: Donald Trump; The weather; What he believes needs to be done to the house (all of which will probably never get done); Donald Trump!; How much chicken breasts cost these days; The fact that it only takes 20 minutes to drive to the nearest Walmart; Donald Trump!!; What strange vinyl record he just listened to (such as The Fabulous Fabian, which he listened to recently and pronounced it to be a really bad experience); Which vinyl records he is seeking to purchase; Where are the pants he wore yesterday and wants to wear again today; Donald Trump!!!; What are we going to do today; Why he has been keeping one of his socks (with a hole in it) on top or the dresser in the bedroom for a few months, Donald Trump!!!!; etc.

Pat and Clark try to keep in shape by walking when the weather cooperates during the spring, summer and fall. They like to walk, with their three little dogs, along the fourth fairway of the golf course and past the green to the tee of the fifth fairway and the wooded area beyond and then back home. They used to walk a much longer trek that also took them along the fifth fairway and then back home on a neighborhood street, but these days both of them and the dogs are usually not up for that longer walk. Of course South Dakota winters are not very friendly to us casual walkers, so their outdoor walks have pretty much ended until spring returns.

Believe it or not Clark has gotten older, but he doesn’t like to admit it. However, he has also developed some nagging health problems, which are currently being controlled fairly well. He doesn’t quite have the stamina that he had only a few years ago. He doesn’t like that at all! However, “It’s Hell to get old, but it’s better than the alternative.”

Clark and Pat must hype themselves up to endure a rather extreme weather environment during the next few days. About 4-6 inches of snow along with a deep freeze of below -20 degrees and strong winds are expected. When they first moved to South Dakota back in the early 1980s they experienced temperature extremes like that many times and even more extreme temperatures down to -30 degrees. However, it seems like a long time since they have endured temps lower than -15 degrees, although they certainly have endured many snow storms that dumped a foot or more on their driveway and sidewalks. Living in South Dakota requires rugged determination and thankfully, Clark has a big snow blower!

Clark tries to ignore the climate and pursue whatever strange activities (within the limits of decency) that pop into his head, although pursuit of many of those activities turns out to be very disappointing. However, he pacifies himself with his vinyl collection, which is expanding at a threatening rate. Unfortunately for Clark’s Facebook friends, he likes to post some of the albums that he listens to on Facebook, which allows him to try to tempt his friends to listen to the albums and comment on them, whether they like them or don’t like them, etc. Anyway, the expanding vinyl collection is eating away at the family room and Clark already stores some of the vinyl under the pool table. He may need professional help with his vinyl addiction!  Although Pat seems unconcerned about the whole vinyl-hoarding situation, probably because it distracts Clark from following her around the house.

This morning Clark could not find his eyeglasses, which he usually places on top of a small bookshelf in the bedroom before he retires. Since he gets up earlier than Pat, he had to quietly search the bedroom for them this morning. Although Clark is not exactly the calmest (or quietest) person when he is frustrated, and his frustration increased while he continued to search all over the house including several different trips to the bedroom. He was sure that Pat was awakened by all the ruckus (and the sighs) while he was in and out of the bedroom several times looking. However, Pat refused to get involved with the frantic search process and just kept her eyes closed during the process. He finally found the glasses in the bathroom attached to the bedroom and Pat is still sleeping as he writes this.

Well, I doubt that anyone was impressed with reading these random thoughts from Clark today. However, both Clark and Pat wish a Very Merry Christmas (or Happy Holidays for those who prefer it) and a Happy New Year to all of our friends, wherever you may be in this world or beyond.

Take care,

Sincerely Clark

Politics Is A Dirty Business

Hi Bill

Pat and I became obsessed with the presidential campaign between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump during the last few months. We were certain that Hillary would be elected. Who in their right mind would vote for the guy? Well there seems to have been a strong hidden undercurrent of support for the guy that we never even considered to be possible. We all know the results of the election and now we must accept him as our Commander and Chief and even hope for his success.

Well, you are probably thinking that this blog post is another thought piece about the now completed (Thank God!) presidential election. However, it is not about that campaign or election. Instead it is about my one and only political (well semi-political) campaign back when I was a senior in high school. I realize that there is really no comparison between the now completed presidential election and my little high school run for office. However, the presidential election somehow reminded me of my high school political exploits.

During my senior year in high school, I decided to run for one of the Student Association officer positions for some reason. Thinking back, I don’t think it was my idea to seek a Student Association officer position. I believe it was my friends, Mac and Frank, who encouraged me to give up my integrity and run for office. I really had not considered participating in anything like that. However, I had held officer positions in my DeMolay chapter and I thought that probably provided a decent foundation for a run at a position among my senior class high school Student Association officers. At that time, I really had no idea what those Student Association officers did. I don’t remember ever paying much attention to the Student Association previously.

Well, with encouragement from my "homeboys", I decided to run for a Student Association officer position. However, I remember trying to decide which office to aim at. Let’s face it, I was never presidential in any way and I did not want any important responsibilities to worry about. So the President position was off the table! The Secretary position probably required taking and typing notes of meetings and distributing them to classmates, which seemed like too much responsibility for me. Forget that one too! The Treasurer position involved collecting dues, keeping track of the budget and paying bills and I didn’t feel responsible enough to handle any of that stuff. So that one was also nixed! That left the Vice President position, which seemed to be responsible for nothing and no one. Bingo! That’s The Office I Wanted!  

With Frank and Mac as my campaign chairmen I began my campaign for Vice President. While agonizing over the decision to run for the office, I had forgotten that the senior class officers were usually the previous year’s officers. Therefore, my friend Marshall W, who had served as the Vice President of the junior class, was expecting to be reelected to the senior class office. I worried that Marshall and his friends were not going to be happy about my competing for the office. Marshall was (and still is) a good guy (and also a big and strong guy) and I did not particularly want to irritate him. It was a little awkward, but I don’t remember any serious friction between Marshal and me during my election challenge.

Frank, Mac and I decided that we needed to create some cool campaign posters instead of the usual “Please Vote for Me” posters. Believe it or not, I still have one of the posters that we created. Frank, Mac and I came up with the ideas for this poster and we got some help with the drawing from my father:

One of my campaign posters
Click to Enlarge

I also had to deliver a “Please Vote for Me!” speech over the school PA system. Again, believe it or not, I still have my hand-printed copy of that speech, which I typed below:

This is Clark Hallman, Class of 67 Vice Presidential candidate.

Today is the Big Day. The day of the General Election. The day when you must choose the officers who will lead our class in not only the coming year, but also in the years that follow graduation.

I know that today at the polls you will choose officers who are capable and worthy of leading our class. Our class is the greatest class in the world and I’m proud to be a member of it.

The office of senior class Vice President, to which I am seeking election is a very important post.

I do not feel that it is necessary for me to name my qualifications. You as a voter should have checked into those yourself. Also I’m not going to make any promises except one, and that is that if I’m elected I’ll work to the best of my ability to serve our class.

I decided to run for this office because I wanted to do something for my class and I feel that as it’s senior class Vice President I could serve it best.

My opponent has served his class both in sports and as Vice President. He has done a fine job.

However, now it’s my turn. Please give me this opportunity by voting for me in the election today.

Thank you.

What a bunch of crap, huh!  I can’t believe how I totally avoided any description of experiences or qualifications that I thought might have prepared me for a post among the class officers. 

Me, Gail D, Scott M and Barbara M
Click to Enlarge

Well to my surprise I was elected Vice President. I joined Scott M. (President), Barbara M. (Treasurer), and Gail D. (Secretary) as a 1967 class officer. I tried to carry out all the important duties of the office, but without much enthusiasm. I appeared at the Student Association meetings, but participated as little as possible. I attended all (or at least most) of the social events, i.e., dances etc., that the Student Association sponsored. (That was a tough duty, huh!) I like to think that I also helped some with other responsibilities and events. However, my previous assessment of the Vice President’s responsibilities was accurate. I really didn’t have much to do and that’s what I was shooting for at the time. 

Actually, I believe probably the main reason I decided to try to become a class officer was because Barbara M. was one of those officers, but we don’t need to turn over that rock right now! 

Luckily, I was good friends with most of my classmates, even though they were a fairly large group, as you can see from the following class photographs: 

My 1967 High School Class
Click to Enlarge

When I think about those high school years I have good feelings, but also some regrets, because I should have been more serious about some responsibilities and I should have treated some of my classmates better. I pretty much just coasted through high school, but somehow I must have acquired at least an inkling of responsible behavior that I was able to enhance during college and my adult life.

Bill, I would enjoy hearing (or reading) about your experiences in a much larger high school than I experienced.

I hope you and your family are well, happy and prosperous.

Take Care.

Sincerely,

Clark

More Family and Records in Fargo

Hi Bill

Today I decided to write about another trip to Fargo, ND. You probably have heard us talk many times about Fargo/Moorhead, where both Rayna and Zeb went to college. Rayna eventually returned to South Dakota, but Zeb is still living in Fargo and has no plans to return to South Dakota, except for family visits.

Anyway, Pat, Rayna and I were in Fargo again this past weekend. Yes, we had been in Fargo about a month ago to spend some time with Zeb, our talented and beloved son. Nevertheless, we made the three-and-a-half-hour drive north on I-29 again on Friday, October 28th. We arrived in Fargo at about 5:30pm and we hung around our room at the Holiday Inn Express until Zeb finished work. Then we met him at a nearby Culvers for a meal. After we finished eating, we hung out at the Barnes & Noble where some vinyl fell into our hands (amazing how that happens). However, Pat and I were very tired and we went to our hotel room to relax for the evening, while Rayna went to Zeb’s apartment for the night.

Fargo Record Fair

Saturday morning Pat and I had a nice breakfast in the hotel and then Zeb and Rayna picked me up and took me to the Fargo Record Fair, which is a major attraction for vinyl music addicts. Pat did not accompany us to the fair. She does not suffer from our vinyl addiction, but has her own cross-stitch monkey to obey. Anyway, Rayna, Zeb and I were eager to attend the annual Fargo Record Fair, which has been connecting vinyl music lovers with wonderful albums each fall for about five years. The large Air Museum hangar at the Fargo Airport has been the venue for the Record Fair since it began. I had attended a previous Fargo Record Fair last year, but I was not well-prepared with a desiderata list or enough money at that one. However, I was well prepared at this one and it was a very enjoyable experience.

There was a $3 entrance fee that we were happy to pay to enter the large hangar jammed with tables holding thousands of vinyl music albums. Of course, there were knowledgeable and friendly vinyl collectors at the tables to help us vinyl enthusiasts find the albums we were looking for and to answer our questions or just converse about music with us. We all had a great time at the record fair among our similarly-addicted vinyl geeks. Rayna, Zeb and I went our separate ways among the vinyl treasures, but when we saw albums that we knew the others would like we let them know where they could be found. It was lots of fun to flip through all kinds of music albums and to talk with strangers about their favorite music, their collections and their treasured album finds. It was a very pleasurable and friendly event, where total strangers would converse about their favorite music and musicians. Rayna and I were also happy to meet Jim, one of Zeb’s good friends. He joined us at the fair and he even helped us find some albums that we were seeking. Zeb also encountered several other people that he knew at the event.

My Vinyl Spoils

James Brown – Live At the Apollo Vol. II: I had been looking for this two-album gem for a long time but could not find it in good enough condition for a price that I was willing to pay. However, I succeeded at the music fair.

James Brown Live At The Apollo Vol II 

The Rolling Stones – 12 X 5: Somehow I had never acquired this second album by the Stones, but I always wanted it.

Prince and the Revolution – Purple Rain: I have needed this one for many years. 

U2 – The Joshua Tree: Another one I have needed for many years.

Sarah Vaughn – After Hours: I can’t have too many Sarah Vaughan albums.

U2 - Joshua Tree 

Marianne Faithfull – Dangerous Acquaintances and A Childs Adventure: I have this THING about Marianne Faithfull and need to acquire all of her recordings.

Dusty Springfield – A Brand New Me: I just like Dusty Springfield (although Pat does not like her).

George Harrison – Thirty Three & 1/3: I must also acquire all of George Harrison’s albums.

Martha Reeves & The Vandellas: Sometimes I need to revisit my teenage years.

Sarah Vaughan - After Hours

The Chiffons – Sweet Talking’ Guy: Another visit with my teenage years.

I would have purchased many other albums, but I had spent enough on these 11 albums. It was interesting that both Zeb and Rayna also ended their vinyl quests with 11 albums. I should also note that Pat bought vinyl record album tote bags, which made it much easier to lug our spoils through the fair and keep them safe. Many people complemented us about those tote bags and asked where we purchased them (Barnes & Noble).

Family Time

After the fair we met Pat at Zeb’s apartment and Zeb and I walked to Erbert’s & Gerbert’s to pick up some sandwiches for a late lunch. We sat in Zeb’s apartment talking and eating for a while. Then Pat and I went back to the hotel to relax while Rayna and Zeb went to take some photos for Rayna’s blog. Later we met at Zeb’s apartment again and Zeb and I walked to a downtown pizza shop for takeout. Then we hung out in his apartment for a few hours of conversation, before Pat and I returned to our hotel for the night. Pat and I had a light breakfast Sunday morning at the hotel and then we met Rayna and Zeb at Perkins for our traditional visit-ending brunch before we made the drive back to South Dakota.

It was another very pleasing family visit and I now have even more vinyl to enjoy. I am so lucky to have a family that tolerates my strange and persistent behaviors, attitudes and pastimes. I am also lucky to have a family that actually likes to spend time with each other, although we wouldn’t want to get together on a daily basis. You probably know how that works.

Anyway, I hope you and your family are happy and healthy. Please let them all know that we often think about them and send good thoughts their way.

Take care.

Sincerely

Clark 

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