Friday, October 26, 2012

Castle Guard

I shared some history of the Castle Green previously, so this time I think I'll share a little of my personal history that converges with the Castle Green.  I have a few stories, but this is the right one for the season.  I was in my early twenties. I was employed and single.  Old Town Pasadena at that time was considered rundown and seedy, and it was in a sense.  At the same time, it offered wonderful nightlife opportunities - several drinking and dancing venues within a two or three block radius, good music with no cover charge, ample free parking, and the absence of stuffy, pretentious, or timid people.  I think it was pretty safe.  There was a nice crowd of friendly people and good friendly bouncers as well.  My girl buddies and I would go there for the evening and drink a little beer, and flirt and dance for hours.  Sometimes we found different ways home.  It got so sometimes I'd go by myself, because there was this almost Cheers-like vibe, and I'd always find people I knew.

So it was Halloween.  Or maybe only almost Halloween.  There may have been a costume party in one or more of the bars, or perhaps I just decided to wear a costume.  I'm pretty sure I came with my friend, because while I might have had the nerve to walk into a bar alone, I can't quite imagine I'd do so in costume.  It was, I thought, kind of a cute costume - a circa 1910 bathing dress, probably real, that I borrowed from my sister.  In hindsight, it was a little frumpy.   It was pretty chilly out, but I left my jacket in the car, because it didn't go with the costume.  The jacket was a 1970s model puffy down parka with velco pocket closures.  I always stashed my purse under the seat of the car, because purses are a nuisance when you're dancing.  The evening passed and eventually I returned to my car.  My first thought was that I left the window open, but I quickly realized my window had been broken out.  My jacket and my purse were gone.  I had my keys and my license on me.  I think I decided not to report the crime until the next day, although it also seems possible that I went to the nearby police station and was told to come  back the next day.  If you follow the blog closely as I'm certain nobody does, you're now thinking that I was a serial victim in my youth, but not so.  You now know about the only two times my wallet was ever stolen.  And nothing worse ever happened.  

The next day I reported the burglary to the Pasadena Police, who I believe never solved the crime.  Later that same next day I got a call from a man who lived in the Castle Green and took daily walks around Central Park and had spotted my wallet in or near a trash can including sufficient identity to contact me.  I think I got just about everything back with the wallet.  I don't know that I even had credit cards in those days; it was probably mostly photographs.  The purse and the jacket were not found.  The nice man who found my wallet stuff I think had some position of importance vis a vis the Castle Green.  His name was something like Robert Hall.  I picked my wallet remains up from him, I think, and he gave my an abbreviated tour of the lobby.  Although it is possible he mailed the wallet to me and I met him and got the tour some months later on an unrelated occasion.   I sent him a thank you note with a good luck charm.  I miss that down jacket sometimes when I'm cold.  Sometimes I miss the old bars of Old Town Pasadena, and being young and not so wise.

Long post about not much.  A lucky charm as a prize for anyone who read the whole thing and can prove it.           I like the painting.  I've had pretty good painting luck lately.  I'm glad I stuck around in the damp weather and finished it, and talked my fellow painters into staying too.

11 comments:

  1. Amazing story, and you made me smile.So, it's the second time your wallet was stolen, it's not too bad. (It couh have been worse).
    Last year, we spent 15 days in Sevilla, Spain.The first night, after dining outside, my husband lost his wallet, I thing it fell on the pavement. A woman phoned to our hotel to say she had found it We picked it up the day after, strangely cash was missing, and my photo too! We were relieved credit cards, driving licence were inside!
    So, Barbara, Pasadena looks very nice, idyllic!
    Have a good week overthere!

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  2. Lovely painting. I love old architecture and you did nice work on this. Interesting backstory too.

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  3. I love your painting Barbara and what a story you have to go with it! I'm happy we stayed to paint too. :-)

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  4. I actually read this whole post. I must have good reading luck lately! I'm glad I stuck around here late at night & finished this.

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  5. In this, as in nearly every other aspect of my life, I've been remiss. I'll be trying to find out addresses to send the vaunted good luck charms, which are small and easily mailed.

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  6. I like the story and the painting. I wish you were in the painting too!

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    1. I think because of the angle, I'd have to be either twenty feet tall or above ground. Which would be powerful.

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  7. Your story telling technique is priceless. I love the way your able to express memory. Like maybe we met and he gave me a tour or maybe he mailed the wallet. That is so true. Getting the context in order is sometimes impossible. Were you a visitor to the Expresso Bar? I remember folk dancing at Cal Tech, the Handllebar Saloon and the Expresso Bar - plus a traditional Halloween Party at an old craftsman house on Marengo thats now a business office.

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    1. Expresso Bar, check. Folk dancing, check. Rarely the Handlebar. Mainly Loch Ness, Hazels, Vitales, and the John Bull. We were probably at the same Halloween Party. I went to a couple of parties at a house on Marengo. Very good old days.

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  8. This is SO beautiful - that painting wow! Loved reading the story. I read the whole thing and enjoyed it.

    I must come back later and go back through some more archives.

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  9. I'm going to claim a lucky charm, though we may have to debate what constitutes proof. :)

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