42nd Street Cafe

This morning we headed south on Sandridge shortly after dawn’s early gray.  It was pouring.  It was cold.  And it was way too early on a Sunday morning.  Nevertheless, I was looking forward to our breakfast date with Jim Sayce.

Our rendezvous point was the 42^nd Street Café.  Jim and I used to meet there now and then when I was working on the Sou’wester issue, “Place Names of the Long Beach Peninsula.”  That was a couple of years ago, and I think those meetings, like this one, were at my instigation.  For certain things, there’s no one’s brain better to pick than Jim’s!

This time, I wanted to talk to him about an old photograph.  It’s one that I’ve had for some time and just ran across again.  Although it is labeled and I know exactly where it was taken, I can’t quite figure out some of the geographic details.  Since there are few people who know more about the physical changes that have happened historically in our area, Jim was my go-to guy.  And besides, I really like the Eggs Benedict at the 42^nd Street – a ‘Sunday morning only’ treat.

Eggs Benedict

Speaking of food… I think that’s the only reason Nyel went along. He said hardly a word during our more-than-two-hour breakfast but he listened attentively – which is good.  I’m at the point where another pair of ears helps a lot.  As for Jim – he talked plenty, but then he always does.  For all I know, he came for the food too…  No matter.  I learned a bunch.  And for the record, I talked plenty, too.

The photograph is labeled ‘Ilwaco, July 4, 1910’ and it’s one neither Jim nor I have seen anywhere else.  I’m thinking about using it as the centerpiece in my next Observer column which is due a week from now.  I’m not sure exactly the how of it, but the photograph is too hard to archive without first sharing it. It probably won’t please my critics (well, just one that I know of) who have told the editor that my columns contain “too much history.”  My uncharitable thought is that he/she probably qualifies for a position at the current White House.

Jack’s Country Store in Ocean Park, Washington.

On our way back to Oysterville, we stopped for a few minutes at Jack’s to get some salad stuff and so I could interview Tom Downer about his April 6^th Oysterville Schoolhouse Lecture.  His subject: “Jack’s Story.”  I arrived home feeling enriched all the way around.  What fabulous people live in our midst!  Now if only I can do justice to what I learned…