Page 12 • CEDAR STREET
Times
• July 3, 2015
“Louie”
We were in Williamsburg, Virginia, Mary was driving. Jean in front, I in the back. We stopped at a signal light. It was getting dusk, when Mary said, “There’s a young dog across the street.” Both Jean and I said “Where, where?” “There, right, there! I’m going to get him before he gets killed.” The light changed, Mary drove across and got him, gave the dog to me to hold in the backseat. He was scared, shaky and kept looking at me as I held him. In the motel, Mary cleaned him up, fed him and he went to sleep. He was very thin. I held Louie all the way home from Williamsburg to Annapolis, Maryland. He kept looking at me and out the window as I talked to him. We had our own dog “Snickers,” a beagle that Candy gave to us when she was going to come and live with us. They both became good friends. He was with Mary for over 10 years, two and a half with me in Bryn Mawr, PA and 1 1/2 years in Carmel. Louie and Charly flew non-stop from Philadelphia, PA to San Jose, CA. Two months ago, Louie was diagnosed with diabetes mellitus. Louie had to get two shots every day to help him with his sickness. Last night was very hard for him. This morning I held him in my arms, covered in a blanket to see Dr. Bishop in Carmel. Just like I did over 10 years ago. He was shaking and trembling but when I talked to him he got very quiet and calm. He trusted me. He looked out the window as I talked to him. Louie passed peacefully to his eternal sleep at 11 a.m. Wed. June 3, 2015. He was a very good friend. Bill Robbins
Chinese Paper Cuts on Display
Chinese paper cuts by Tianxi Liu, China’s leading paper cutting artist, are on exhibit in the Monterey Public Library lobby now through July 30, 2015. Liu’s artworks are widely recognized as the best represented of the inheritance and development of Chinese folk arts. There are 35 pieces in the exhibit, courtesy of Liu’s son Zhenshuai Liu, a professor at the Defense Language Institute. This art dates back to the 6th century and is one of the world’s most ancient art forms. Paper cuts are popular among Chinese in all walks of life. They ornament walls, windows and doors during joyful times and celebrations. Paper cuts are regarded as lucky items. For more information contact liutianxipapercuts@gmail.com The Monterey Public Library is located at 625 Pacific Street, Monterey, and is open Monday - Wednesday, 12 noon - 8 p.m., Thursday - Friday, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., and Sundays, 1 - 5 p.m.
Open Letter to Moe Ammar: Tell Your Stories! Patricia Hamilton
Keepers of our Culture One of the many pleasures of living and working in Pacific Grove is running into friends, neighbors and business colleagues during a stroll downtown. That’s exactly what happened to me the other day just as I was turning into the doorway leading to my office on Lighthouse Avenue. Who should be coming out of adjacent door but Moe Ammar, President of the Pacific Grove Chamber of Commerce, as he exited Pacific Grove Travel. We greeted each other and I thanked Moe for giving a favorable interview about Park Place Publications. I added, “Storytelling is trending and I love that my business is to help people tell their stories—for good.” Then I asked Moe for an update on his grandson. “He’s so wonderful, Patricia, but I wish the family lived closer,” Moe replied. “I do Facetime on my phone with him nearly every day.” “Good, Moe. But are you writing your stories for him?” “My stories? Humph!” Moe shrugged his shoulders and walked away. I wanted to tell him about the awesome Dragon Dictation app—you talk and the words flow onto a text document that you can edit later—a wonderful tool for people who want to put their words on paper but don’t consider themselves natural writers … or don’t have the time. It’s always best to write the way you talk, so the app serves well. Instead, I called after him, “Always marketing, Moe!” I do seem to be on a mission to tell people how important their stories are and how valuable it is to write down any little detail about their lives. Can you imagine how meaningful and exciting it would be to have a few letters—or a book—from a parent, grandparent, or even a great-grandparent or beyond? Any scrap from the past is precious and pure gold to those of us in the present, so grounding to us all. Just thinking about it gives me chills, that someone whose DNA I carry might have been thinking about me generations before I was born—and reached across time. We all know that Moe has been a prominent figure in Pacific Grove for many years. Isn’t it conceivable that someone in the next generation—or the generation after that—would like to read stories about how he earned the Key to Pacific Grove AND a personalized license place that says, “Key to PG”? With all due respect to Moe Ammar and his many contributions to our town … “Dear Moe, “This time, please don’t run away when I ask you to put your life stories on paper! Don’t do it for yourself, although it’s very enriching—do it for your children, your grandchildren, and for the residents of the City of Pacific Grove. Do it for me. I want to know how you manage to organize so many great events in Pacific Grove and grow them to monumental proportions over the years. And how you
get dozens of people to volunteer to run the events, staff the two Visitor Centers, clean our highways, raise money for a variety of causes, and more. And how you fill vacant storefronts and work with P.G. businesses, including my own Park Place Publications, to meet the needs of our residents, to prosper and to grow. You could write the textbook on how to create popular community events and market a small townfor the hospitality industry nationwide. “Your stories will give our residents a stronger sense of place, which is instrumental in buying local, right? It’ll give us another reason to look for green flags this First Friday! “But don’t write your stories just for us. Do it for the generations yet to come. As we approach Independence Day, seems to me your life is the classic American story—coming here from another land in search of freedom and opportunity, finding success and contentment through your own hard work and inborn talent. That story deserves to be preserved! “If you’re not familiar with New York Times columnist Bruce Feiler, I encourage you to Google his name and do some reading. His research has shown that one of the biggest factors in determining the resiliency of children is whether they have a strong sense of their family history. This is a priceless gift that only you can give your children and grandchildren. “Many people tell me that their children aren’t interested in their story, or their family history. This may be true in many cases—but grandchildren and great-grandchildren are often a different story. They find these stories from what, to them, is the distant past, to be fascinating, inspiriting, and even cool. For example, a grandchild who is struggling to find a good job after college graduation will find strength from an ancestor’s tale of overcoming similar challenges. “Moe, do it for the grandson whom you communicate with every day by Facetime on the phone. Someday, he’ll thank you for putting your life story on paper and leaving a legacy for the family—I guarantee it.” Sincerely, Patricia Hamilton Patricia Hamilton, owner of Park Place Publications, helps authors tell their stories, from conception through publication and distribution. She and Affiliate Joyce Krieg offer Guided Autobiography classes, pioneered by Dr. James Birren. For more information call Patricia t 831649-6640 or go to www.parkplacepublications and www.keepersofourculture.com