Warning: Easterners Approaching

Shanghai --> San Francisco--> Virginia --> San Francisco
I consider San Francisco my Home Town
But nearly a third of my life was spent away from the Bay Area
Most of that time was spent inside the Beltway of Washington DC

My age of innocence ended when we moved from Arlington County
We moved to Fairfax County for a nicer apartment complex
I had just turned 12 and my interests changed
From baseball, football and Disney to girls, Rhythm and Blues, girls,
cigarettes, girls, hanging out and girls
By the time I was 16 my Dad decided it was time to move again to
get me out of this environment

We moved to an even nicer apartment complex in Alexandria
In the summer of 1959, after summer school and a visit to San Francisco
to see my Grandparents and Aunts, I started at a new high school.
It didn't take me long to get into trouble
I was allowed back into school, but only if I behaved
It was around then I met Tony

Tony Martin was “Big Time” even in high school
His “enforcers” were the Woods brothers, Joe and Larry
Joe and Larry Woods were bigger than any lineman on the football team
And tougher
Two kind and gentle behemoths
Unless you disrupted Tony's world

I was taking a smoke break after lunch in “Smoking Lot”
An area, below ground, near the entrance to the Athletic Department was
designated a place to smoke if you had a note from home
(Virginia is tobacco country after all)
The concrete floor was always dusty and covered in ash from the cigs
The hallway floor inside was covered with footprints created from the soot

My mode of dress was black khakis
If they had a buckle in the back, I tore it off
If my shirt collars were button down, the buttons were removed
I wore my hair as long as my dad would allow
My high school was mostly preppies
I was a greaser

Knowing I would be thrown out of school if I got into trouble, some of the
boys would tease me and try and provoke me to respond
I usually just took it or walked away
Or hung out with the faculty member who was sometimes there
One day I was sitting, smoking a Lucky and not bothering anyone
One of the boys took his shoe and made an imprint on my black khakis
I could do nothing

When I tried to get up to leave, my other pant leg was imprinted
It was then I heard someone order the boys to stop
When they didn't, the two boys, who were the size of men, removed the perpetrators
Joe and Larry each grabbed two culprits by their collars and drug them to the door
and flung them down in the dust
“You don't know me, but we have mutual friends” was said to me while
the eviction was taking place
It was Tony Martin

Tony had seen me at a teen dance in Alexandria or at a “gangster” party
I was given the “seal of approval” by friends we both knew
so Tony knew I was Okay
So he sent in the cavalry to rescue me
Then he introduced himself
More than 50 years has passed and I still can't shake him

On Friday, the 29th (Pat Preble's birthday), Tony and his bride (Vicki)
will be coming to San Francisco.
This is one of those long invitations to come by and meet the Martin's
Unlike the Obama's and the Clinton's, meeting Tony and Vicki will cost you nothing
Well, at least no hard cash

I will be accompanying the Easterners on a couple road trips
Perhaps the Marin/Sonoma coast
Perhaps Half Moon Bay/Pescadero
If we need a fourth or fifth to create a road trip quorum, I will call
Let me know if you have any interest

We will be trying a few Bay Area restaurants
If you want to join us
We will have an idea where and when after they arrive
Let me know if and when you are available

And we will do at least one formal affair here at 1932 Great Highway
Not sure if it's brunch, lunch, dinner, cocktails, tea time or line dancing
So I will let the recipients of this email know when
If it fits your schedule - cool
As soon as I am able to coordinate this with the Martin's, I will let you know

All this while the Giants are in the World Series!

Amongst all this excitement,            DON'T FORGET TO VOTE!