Saturday in Jerome

We had our big breakfast again today at our B&B.  Joy, our hostess, loves to cook.  One of the folks at our community table was a guy who worked in the State Dept (China desk).  He and his wife were liberals, so we were able to discuss our "mission" sotto voce. 

Remember my comments yesterday about thinking that our hostess was always near our room, maybe listening....well my paranoia got more feed today.  When I was getting ready this morning, I went out into the hall to go to our bathroom to take my bath.  As I turned left, I almost stumbled over Joy, kneeling on the floor just beside the door dusting the legs of a little end table.  I let out a little "exaggerated startle reflex."  She apologized and "making a joke" said, "I'm spying on you."   I do think it is just that she runs a very clean and tidy place, and well, hearing accidentally what goes on...just happens as a side.

I got my walking packet today and it is pretty thick:  Jerome, Davidsville, and Holsopple.

Redjeb was my driver and boy did I need him.  First of all I kept getting all my lists, pamphlets, etc. all mixed up, dropping them, etc.  Be careful when you send senior citizens to do anything for you, no matter how well intentioned.

I had forgotten how hilly Jerome is.  For a little town (1000 pop.) it sure has a lot of steep ups and downs, and to drive to the different houses on my own would have been inconvenient and to walk would have killed me.  We spent all afternoon trying to cover our Jerome list.  Didn't quite finish, so will do tomorrow.

First stop, however, was Berzonski's on top of the hill into town.   It is a little convenience store and I was hoping to make lunch out of their wonderful perogies.  But I was informed that Mrs. Berzonski has passed away so no more perogies.  The Berzonski family owned a big farm on top of the hill. The fellow working there was her son Gary, who had been one of my mother's first grade students.  He seemed so pleased that we were there, so we chatted a bit.  His brother Donald was in my grade, and I remember him one day whispering to me in class in great detail about how one of their cows had delivered a calf the night before.  He was really taken with the experience, and I don't think I really grasped it all.  I think we were in third grade or so.  Gary said that he hopes to give up the store in a couple years, and that none of the family is interested in running it anymore.  So there you go.

Then we drove down the hill.  First stop was our old house.  No one was home and no one was home next door, where the Trexels (and then the Prices) used to live.  We went to the third house of the trio.  The lady who answered had her hair up in large curlers and was busy as her husband just came back for lunch.  But she was very pleasant and said she was for Obama.  I asked her about the Girondas who lived nearby in a house that was literally attached to the back of the building that used to be the movie.  I learned that Steve Gironda, who used to own the movie theatre, has died, but his wife Bea still lives there.  I would have liked to see her, but she wasn't home.  I'm sure they'd be for Obama; they were strong Democrats.

The list we had was only those who had previously said they were undecided or senior citizens. Some of the addresses we couldn't find, but I was impressed that there are now street signs at least.  Many people weren't home so I just checked NH on the list and moved on.  Some had loud barking dogs.  They were chained or caged but were still kind of scary.

Some of the houses were nicely maintained, some so-so, and a few not too good.  A good number of the double houses are now singles.  

Some people remembered our family and even me:  Don Smith was one.  I couldn't remember if he was the guy that used to play the trombone in the band, so didn't ask.  Just pretended I remembered him; he was about my age.  [Help me on this, Johnny (my brother), if you remember him.]  He lives across the tracks (as we used to say, but that was not a bad thing in Jerome, just a destination).  We had tracks right in back of our house, where the trains from the coal mine used to park when they weren't in use.

By the way, did I remember to say that Don Smith is for Obama.  I found the people I spoke to to be about 50-50 for the candidates which was better than I had expected. And those for Obama were very cheerful.  One guy said he was for Obama, cause "I'm union."  I found that encouraging....the old base.  

Only one guy was a bit gruff, peaking through the glass in the front door, asking what I wanted.  When I showed my pin, he said he didn't want to talk and that ended that.  But basically everyone is polite back here, if you smile and are polite too.  They can get a bit cold and make it short at times, but you know what?  That's how I am too, when people call me or knock on my door taking polls.  I'm doing to others what I hate having others do unto me.

We went up on the hill (there are many hills in Jerome, but one place known as "up on the hill", and the road up to there is, you guessed it, Hill St.)  Up there I spoke with Betty K. who remembered my parents and was a Democrat.  She was very annoyed that there were McCain signs on yards all over town and only a couple Obama signs. I happily asked her if she'd like me to get her one,  but she quickly added:  "I don't one any in my yard!"   So there you go.

I went to another house, and a woman came running over from  neighbors when she saw me knocking on her door.  When I introduced myself, she informed me that her son had been one of the seniors at the high school who had won the Backman award.  (That is the award that my brother and I set up in honor of our parents.  It is basically for kids going to college and preference is given to someone from Jerome.)  She told me that her son did very well at Penn State and is now an engineer.  I almost made a joke and said, well then you'll be voting for Obama, but am glad I didn't, cause she got a bit distant when I asked if she had made up her mind whom she was voting for.  She said no, but I think, as with many, she just didn't want to say say McCain to me.  Hum...She should  give me the money back, I thought to myself....just a joke.

As an aside, I found out that she is related to Dickie W., who went all through school with me.  He lives in Maryland now.  I told her the story about when I was in 7th grade, I played the bells in the marching band.  We had a large band (100 people, I believe) and there was an entire row of "girls" playing the bells (glockenspiel).  It was my first football game when I was supposed to march.  One of the older girls discovered that she had forgotten the strap that you wear to help you carry the instrument.  She told me since she was in a higher grade than me that I would have to give her mine, which meant I would have to sit out the half-time band demonstration. 

Dickie happened to see me with tears streaming down my 7th grade cheeks, and when he heard the story he said it wasn't right.  He took it upon himself to somehow get my strap back, and I happily got to do my first half-time.  I hope she remembers to tell him the story.

We came back to our quiet guest house and our resting.  I walked over to the Obama Headquarters and dropped off my list with Lisa.  She had been out all day campaigning herself.  I don't think she ever eats.  We invited her to join us, but she works till 8 or 9 at night, making phone calls and entering the data from the lists into the computer:  NH, moved, refused to talk, deceased, etc.  or  for Obma, for McCain, undecided.  She was eating dry cereal tonight for dinner.  No wonder Obama is ahead with all this young energy.  Redjeb and I are going out to Eat & Park again, near the turnpike exit.  He loved the fish I had there the other day.  Can you imagine, good fish in a landlocked state, in a chain restaurant, and less than $10.  Prices for food are great here.

A demain.