DEAR JUNE-YOUR PRINCETON BOOK WILL ARRIVE TODAY OR MONDAY.MEANWHILE YOUR TWO EXCELLENT WEB SITES HAVE GIVEN ME MORE OF MY DAILY “COASTSIDE FIX” THAN I EVER IMAGINED RECEIVING.
I’M GLAD TO SEE TWO OLD FRIENDS,MIKE POWERS AND PETE DOUGLAS ARE STILL OUT THERE,I WILL HAVE TO LOOK THEM UP NEXT TRIP.I’M SORRY THAT RICHARD ENGLISH IS GONE,WE CALLED HIM “ORPHAN ANNE” AT THE DISTILLERY,I’LL MISS CLAY FOUNTAIN AND HIS WIFE TOO,FOR YEARS WE THOUGHT THAT THEY WERE THE LAST “WOBBLIES” (IWW) LEFT,UNTIL I FOUND OUT THE IWW IS STILL MEETING IN BERKLEY.
CLAY.ON OCCASION,USED TO PLAY HIS AUTOHARP,AT THE MIRAMAR. AND SING LABOR PROTEST SONGS.CLAY MIGHT HAVE HAD THE ONLY VOICE ON THE COASTSIDE WORSE THAN MINE.JOE DOSHER USED TO GIVE ME FREE BEER NOT TO SING ON WED. “SING ALONG NIGHTS” AT THE MIRAMAR,AS I HAD THE GIFT TO THROW A WHOLE ROOM OF DRUNKS OFF KEY.
I GOT TO THINKING AFTER MY FIRST MESSAGE TO YOU ABOUT “GENE’S BEER AND PIZZA,THAT GENE HAD PROBABLY MOVED TO OREGON BY THE TIME YOU MOVED TO EL GRANADA IN 72. By THAT TIME THE MIRAMAR,AND A YEAR LATER THE MOSS BEACH DISTILLERY HAD BECOME THE MAIN WATERING HOLES FOR THE VILLAGE LOCALS.
AS I NOTED BEFORE.I WISH I HAD SHOT MORE PICTURES OF PEOPLE AND PLACES,AND KEPT A JOURNAL.THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR WEB SITES,THEY ARE REALLY APPRECIATED.
MERRY CHRISTMAS-GRAY GARDNER
EXCELSIOR SPRINGS,MO.12/21/07