Commentary
Dog at the Funeral
For Dave Willey (1947-2008)
I didn’t see him when two planes did a fly-by,
one on the right peeling off in missing-man formation.
Not until I saw his picture with Dave and Dave’s family —
a big lug of a dog, a Great Dane, but smaller, a Doberman,
but ears cupped, long tail, bright eyes, and an open mouth.
He walked through the door as we sat, looking around
Human beings evolved to be the complex creatures we are by communicating. As our languages became ever more complex so did we. Bands of humans, joined together by common stories (what anthropologists call culture) and armed with tools they invented and shared with each other, spread all over the world at the expense of larger and more powerful animals.
His coach says, “he has an arm,” and calls him the team’s star pitcher. He plays Little League in his hometown of Pelham, N.Y. His father says, and I quote: “Yesterday he threw 60 pitches in three innings. He had five strikeouts, caught a line drive back at the mound and fielded a ground ball throwing out the batter at first! He is always asking me to show him how to throw a knuckle curve, a screwball, a cutter or a slider. I told him I have no idea.” Joe says he emulates Mike Mussina and A-Rod, names I’ll get to know better, I have a feeling.
Noman’s Maneuvers
From the Vineyard Gazette editions of October, 1983:
The weather wasn’t ideal for war games this weekend but nothing ever stops the United States Marines. From their command center high on the Gay Head cliffs they at least had a good Vineyard view of bad Island weather. The military mission was to assist with radar precision bombing runs on Noman’s Land. A radar center and command post was laid out near the Gay Head lighthouse.
GOOD DEAL
Editors, Vineyard Gazette:
To help quell the groans and moans about the “excessive” fares to and from Chappaquiddick, I wish to provide the following:
• In 1929 it cost a $1 for a round trip.
• Today, it costs $12.
Taking the $1 in 1929 and converting it to 2008 dollars, we would get $24.64. Thank you Peter Wells for helping fight inflation.
Jozef Sliwkowski
Chappaquiddick
•
DISPIRITING TIMES
With Ocean Park on one side and Circuit avenue, Oak Bluffs’ main street, on the other, Kennebec avenue could easily have escaped the attention of visitors a century ago. But Island postcard publishers F.A. Marshall and John N. Chamberlain recognized its appeal.
Kennebec avenue ran from Lake avenue to Samoset avenue, a little more than two blocks. Park avenue divided the street, providing a link between Circuit avenue and Ocean Park.