HERB BENHAM: When the buzzards are circling, run for cover
| Thursday, Oct 22 2009 04:30 PM
Last Updated Thursday, Oct 22 2009 04:30 PM
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Seems fitting, doesn't it?
A flock of buzzards flies over a political fundraiser.
A couple of weeks ago, we attended a fundraising party at Jon and Phyllis Van Boening's house (disclosure: my wife works for Jon at Memorial). The party was for Mike Maggard, who is running for his second term as a Kern County supervisor.
The party, which took place in the Van Boenings' driveway, started with hundreds of buzzards flying over as if they were waiting for someone to drop. No matter what kind of shape you were in, the buzzards made you want to do a couple of deep knee bends followed by a rash of calisthenics.
The buzzard metaphor might have been easier to carry to its logical conclusion had this not been Mike Maggard, one of the most decent men on the planet. The buzzards may have been circling looking for dinner, but Mike wasn't on the menu.
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Spoke to Scott Cox on the radio the other day. Scott is snappy. His mind has more bounce than electrons in a linear accelerator.
We were talking about San Joaquin Bank. He said that San Joaquin's demise made him want to visit other local icons in Bakersfield: Stinsons Stationers, Wool Growers, Luigi's, Dewar's, Russo's, Olcotts, Rosemary's, Jenks Tire Co, Deja Vu (just to see if your are reading) Los Hermanos, Pioneer Mercantile and Zingo's (there are more and you know who you are).
Local businesses give Bakersfield texture, interest and character. They are as chewable as a good red wine.
The Bakersfield Racquet Club cracks that list. More than 100 national championships have come through the club. A slew of great players, a slew of characters and a slew of memories.
Recently the coffee shop (open to the public) changed hands. The Big Popy's Deli people took over. I don't know about the food -- they do a nice job at their place on 20th -- but they've nailed the decor.
The BRC is worth visiting for some of the pictures Popy's has mounted: Photos of Lake Lovelace, the founder of BRC and one of the finest people I've ever met; Knief, Lake's grandson, who died in his 20s in a car wreck; Hank Pfister Sr., Hank Pfister Jr., Denny Ralston, Jack Kramer and Arthur Ashe.
Bakersfield has many stories. Some of them are worth retelling.
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I received an e-mail from Scott Belden, a local business bankruptcy attorney. He was responding to the column about how close people are to losing their jobs and ending up in career ICU. Belden offered the following comments and advice:
"Most never thought they would be talking about seeking bankruptcy protection. I tell them that it is systemic and almost no one is untouched by the economic disaster we have experienced over the last year and a half. Great business-savvy people are hit equally along with those who might have benefited from some business training.
"I usually urge them to keep fighting because the economy will turn around ... eventually. I urge them to continue as long as they do not put themselves in a worse position like by not paying payroll or sales taxes or similar cash preserving steps.
"I hope we are toasting success and good economic stories a year from now."
