Update 9-15-09

Hi,

Let's start with some new adventures from Robert Fiveson:

As I write this, I'm in Buenos Aires, Argentina.  I just came here on the ferry from Montevideo, Uruguay. While in Uruguay, I had one of those traveler experiences you both dread and also fantasize about -- well, I do, anyway.  My wife and I went to the port area because it's listed as a tourist area, but maybe we should have listened to the old ladies on the bus who we overheard talking among themselves.  They were saying how unsafe that area was, and I could tell because my Spanish is much better than it was in high school.  Still, when we got to the port, the area seemed lovely:  Shops.  A little museum celebrating Carnival.  Vendors selling mate guampas  -- gourds for drinking mate from.  Nice.  Though on the walk back to find a taxi, we passed a young man who looked at us weirdly.  And, as soon as our backs were turned, he was on my wife, trying to rip her purse away.
        He was violent, but my wife fought and screamed.  Still, he got her purse and ran.  So I ran after him, but I immediately tripped and fell.  But I got up and ran after him again, down a very narrow street, yelling the whole while to try and stop him.  Some guys in a truck must have heard me because they overtook the guy and jumped out of their truck.  But the guy doubled back -- coming right at me -- so I lunged for him.  But I guess his 20-something agility was better than my 62-year-old aspiration, and he got by me.  Still, I went on chasing him and yelling for someone else to stop him... and someone did!  Some guys popped him and then threw him into a wall.  Just in time for me to get to him and soften him up a bit more with my fists and feet.  Then a cop showed up on a motorcycle and got a cuff on him... and the guy started resisting.  The cop couldn't get the other cuff on, but since I was already on top of the kid, I grabbed his free arm and held it back till he was cuffed.  This started him yelling some things about my mother and sex -- I told you my Spanish was good -- and I popped him a few more times.  But he still wouldn't shut up, so the cop suggested he be quiet by having his face meet the officer's handheld radio at high speed.  Yes, it was bloody and violent but oh so satisfying.  And my wife and I lost nothing.
        I have a scraped knee and shin and some bruised knuckles.  I suggested to the kid that if he needs money he try working.  And after filing a report, we were on our way.  On the positive side, Montevideo is like Toronto with Spanish:  Very clean, friendly, and orderly.  With gorgeous European architecture.  Overall, mellow and quite inexpensive.  By contrast, Buenos Aires is like Manhattan on steroids!
   
    [Rich -- When I wrote Robert, thanking him for the story and again appreciating the fact he's safe, he replied:  "It's all good stuff and part of having fun and feeling alive!"]
   
    Next, a more sedate note from Allen Moss in Maine:  Thanks, Judy Hartstone, for acknowledging two nice teachers at South:  Ms. Dillback and Mr. Batorski.  I had Mr. B in the Monday morning session, and, like clockwork, if the football team won the previous Saturday, we could look forward to a session of schmoozing and maybe just a little bit of Latin exercises and translations.  BUT, if we lost the game the previous Saturday... watch out!  There was a 99.9 chance we would have a pop translation quiz, and Mr. B. would be out of sorts for the session.
        Still, he was a warm and wonderful person, who connected with everyone in the class.  And Ms. Dillback's dedication and love of teaching clearly came through.  And you're right, Judy... SHE was in charge of the classroom, and pity the student who did not respect that... as well they should!  I think it's great that many of us have been left with very positive memories of our teachers at South.  We certainly had our share of dedicated professionals and incredibly warm and caring folks.
   
    Then, gratitude from Joanne Shapiro Polner on a totally different subject:  Thank you for showing me off in the last update.  Also, one of my South High classmates, Barbara Pincus Chehoski, class of '59, is a photographer of some note and good fame in Tucson, Arizona, where she has been president of the Photography Club.  Barb sells her work in local venues.
   
    Another photo note, from Amy Miller:  I was delighted to read of the South High alums, Eric Hilton and Joanne Shapiro Polner, working and showing their photos.  My dad lived in Sarasota, Florida, for thirty years  after moving from Green Acres, and he continued his photography -- exhibiting, and winning awards.  He passed on to me both his love of capturing images and his vast collection of photos and slides.  I have been practicing  the techniques of  PhotoTherapy in my work as a psychologist with clients, and I've found photography to be a wonderful way to deal with the passage of time and other realities -- and fantasies -- of life.
   
    A note from Eric Hilton, giving us the web site address I forgot:  First, that was a nice note from Joanne Shapiro Polner.  Next, my web site address is:  www.ericmhilton.com
        Also, as I mentioned to Hy Rosov, the site is a work in progress.  Eventually, I'll drop the commercial stuff and just do fine art work.  But most of my work is on a billion negatives, and I don’t have a pro film scanner yet, so I can’t digitize the images for printing or for web sites.
   
    Finally, a gentle reminder from Ellen Sue Brody Pilger that I still haven't updated the online class e-mail address list:  Will you please add my e-mail address to reunionclass65.blogspot.com.  Thanks so much. Again it's:  ellensue@pilger.com
        Ellen Sue also writes:  Hello, Booker.  It's so great to see your name, and I do remember wonderful classes under your direction.  A violin I played in the orchestra back then has been played by a son and a grandson, and now a granddaughter is taking a turn.  As the state funding for public school music programs diminished here in Santa Barbara, I joined forces with a group of professional musicians to develop a free, public, youth symphony orchestra to provide an experience for high school kids.  I was on their board for fourteen years, the symphony is still going strong, and some very talented children have gone on to great careers.  An ear for and an appreciation of music are essential in education.  Thanks for the great start.
   
    The (still unfortunately un-updated) South '65 e-mail addresses:  reunionclass65.blogspot.com
   
    The South '65 photo site:  picasaweb.google.com/SouthHS65
   
   
    Rich