Beach News...

...Monday, 8am, October 15, 2007:

Walked a block to the Dominick's Super, got a poppy seed french roll and coffee, free Chicago Tribune (The RedEye, just as good, but free) walked another block to the beach. Beautiful day, high 50s, little wind, mostly sun.) Only a few passers-by. Finally, a young blackish looking woman comes by (reminds me of when I was a little kid and asked my mother: "Were you ever pretty?" Mom: "I was young once, sonny.") She made no eye contact, but young women at the beach at 8am don't make much eye contact w/ bearded, 73-year-old men, from my experience. She had on a sort of hoodie, dark blue w/ the letters GVSU in light blue on the front. I first thot 'George Mason University (home of Walter Williams - hard to decide which he has more of: brilliance or humor). No, that don't work. Georgia? Couldn't think of the V preceeding State University. Well, forget it.

20 min later she comes back, going in the other direction. All of a sudden, me: "Is that Grand Valley?" She turns around, big smile: "How do you know about that?" Me: "I grew up in South Haven." Well, she knew all about South Haven, too - probably had lots of fellow students from there.

Then I told her about my cousin Julie Very-Dutch-Last-Name from Battle Creek MI, who's doing quite well in pre-med at GVSU (in Grand Rapids, MI BTW.) She said she knew Stacey, but not Julie. We both agreed there were quite a few Very-Dutch-Last-Names at GVSU (20 mi from Holland MI.)

So she turns and heads up the beach, one last turn around and smile, comment: "That's such a nice area up there." Amen, Miss.