The height of Benicia’s social/cultural season is here, and I don’t want to miss anything. We’ve gotten to the point in our bustling burg where there’s something going on almost every week day, not just on weekends. Sometimes we even need to choose between competing venues. That’s exciting, as there is something for everyone. Late last year I bought a huge paper calendar that takes up an entire kitchen counter. Can’t rely on my memory or my phone for storing all this largess. Even so, I just missed an appointment. The trick is you need to look at the calendar, not just have one.
Even if you aren’t attending gallery openings, concerts, readings, book signings, workshops, and such, you can quench your thirst with a walk down First St. where you’ll run into someone you know, would like to know, or learn something new. Allow plenty of time for serendipitous encounters.
Stopped outside Benicia Fitness to talk to a woman sitting on a bench holding a stunning walking stick. Numerous colorful enamel pins decorated most of its surface. Jackie Lawrence has lived in Benicia for 47 years. Her husband William made the stick from a cherry tree in their back yard “We took a road trip across the US to Boston, stopping at national and state parks, and monuments along the way. We spent a month on the road, and these were some of the places we visited,” she said as the cane sparkled in the sun.
On the top of the cane was a dazzler — our Golden Gate Bridge from Golden Gate National Recreation Area. There were pins from Asilomar, Grand Canyon Vicksburg, Big Bear, Petrified Forest, the Old North Church, Muir Woods, Colonial Williamsburg, and more.
What does your husband do?” I asked. “William builds model ships from scratch, carving even the smallest plank ribbings himself. Sally Babson up the street did the sails for some of his boats.” She designs, creates, and alters clothes for just about everybody in town. Add “sail maker” to her resume.
Life seems to be getting more complicated. Just finding a live person to talk to at AT&T is a challenge and gives me a bellyache. Resorted to driving around town looking for one of their trucks last week so that I could ask a question, since the hold time was two and a half hours. Still can’t figure out how to work my smart TV. Was stood up by an AT&T technician the first time I was able to secure an appointment. But I stuck with it and today someone showed up and reprogrammed it. I never would have figured it out on my own. It’s way too smart for me. Now I need to catch up with 4 months worth of recorded Colbert before he goes off the air. Woo hoo!
QR codes flummox me. Tried to return something from eBay and was sent a blurry QR code to return it which didn’t work at UPS. The vendor then sent me another, it too was blurry. I wrote a negative review and posted it on-line. Got an email back saying they would credit me and I could keep the item if I’d retract the review. I didn’t. A few days later took something from Wayfair to UPS to return. They said the QR code wouldn’t scan. “Another scam,” I thought. “You need to take it to Fed Ex,” they said. Oh, Got me thinking that maybe that’s what I should have done with the first package and it might have worked, blurriness notwithstanding. I’ll never know, and it hurts my brain thinking about it.
Waiting in line for lunch at One House Bakery last week I chatted with a fellow who radiated joy and well being. Steve Kahn moved to Benicia four years ago from Danville and couldn’t say enough good things about our town — an articulate Benicia booster. He had just come from a yoga class across the street at The Elevate Company where his wife teaches. “Everybody is kind, we’ve got nice weather, outstanding people, and are completely removed from the rest of the Bay Area. All you need to do is cross a bridge. We have a population that is diverse. Everybody smiles and talks to each other, and nobody seems to be in a bad mood. How lucky are we?”
“What do you do for a living?” I asked, intrigued by his positivity. “I’m a lawyer,” he said. “You seem too chill to be a lawyer.” “Once you hire me you’ll meet a different version of me. I love going to court, but try to avoid it. It’s an expensive option for clients. I want to solve differences before we get there.” “Sounds like you would be good in politics,” I said. “Maybe one day I’ll run for Mayor,” he said. I need to check out that yoga studio. theelevatecompany.com.
Ran into my friend Joe as I parked on First St. He also delivers my paper. “Listen, Joe,” I said. “I need a favor.” He leaned in. “When I pick up the paper in the morning, I’m wearing an old leopard bathrobe with a faded pink Goodwill fleece on top, clunky brown Uggs, and my hair looks like I slept in it, which I have. It’s not a pretty picture. As you know, there are people and dogs walking around my place at all hours, and I need to check that nobody is out there before I open my screen door, sneak outside, grab the paper, and high-tail it back into my place before I’m spotted. If there is somebody I know out there, it’s added trauma. Here’s the ask. When you deliver my paper would you mind putting it on the right side of the screen so that I can pick it up without going outside?” He listened intently. “Do you want it on your right side or my right side?” He was really listening. “Definitely my right side,” I said. “No problem.”
The next morning I peeked outside and smiled. There was my Benicia Herald, on the correct side, but Joe had gone the extra mile and propped it up on end, leaning against the wall so that I hardly had to bend over. Thank you Joe. Is this a great town or what?
Letters From Benicia 