A millennial would have required about fifty visits to google to understand the jargon being sprinkled around last Saturday morning at Howie’s Ranch Market and points beyond. For it was there that approximately thirty old friends who grew up in the unique southeast corner of San Marino came together for a unique event, which organizer Bob Dryden called the San Marino Kids-on-the-Block Reunion. Kids, who are now grandparents, strolling through a true neighborhood bordered by Endicott Road, Wellesley Road and Somerset Place, pointing out personal landmarks and speaking a long-lost language.
“I remember games of Red Rover with 30-40 kids,” said one.
“I would collect bottles and cash them in for change,” claimed another.
“I fell out of Gregg Turk’s treehouse,” said Vicky Taylor.
The tales began in Howie’s parking lot and didn’t stop until late that night at El Cholo Cafe, where they rendezvoused for a final dinner.
“They were simpler days,” said Bill Ukropina, who grew up in that little corner of the world until his family moved a couple miles north. “You could walk everywhere.”
Ballgames on the radio, a choice from only three television stations, and leaving car keys in the ignition so as not to lose them marked life in the fifties.
At Howie’s, the former Martha Gerdeman told a story about loading apples into the front of her dress and carrying them home.
“My mom asked me where I got them and I told her ‘Howie’s,’” Gerdeman said. “She made me take them back immediately. But she swatted me first!” Apparently, the statute of limitations has expired on that one, and none of the employees at Howie’s seemed to be on the lookout for Gerdeman, thank goodness, and she was able to enjoy the remainder of the reunion. “I was too young and didn’t know what I was doing,” Gerdeman said with a hearty laugh. “I was just trying to help out.”
Lew Miller is still there living on “The Circle” and he entertained his old friends with calliope music from his vintage automobile.
Current owners happily opened their homes so reunion-goers could take a glimpse into yesteryear. Many were surprised that things hadn’t changed nearly as much as they imagined.
The group visited Carver Elementary School, where two of the attendees were actually “married” as third graders, during recess, under a pepper tree that no longer stands. Neither seemed to be looking for alimony from the other.
Lunch at Twohey’s offered more familiar surroundings – and a welcome redux of the Stinko Burger – which still graces the menu.
Bob Dryden, who organized the reunion and even created a memory book for the occasion, could barely contain his enthusiasm for what was an unqualified success. “You could see everyone’s eyes light up in delightful recognition as each car arrived at Howie’s Market,” said Dryden. “In all, it was a memorable reunion of San Marino friends who were able to look back to their happy and carefree childhood days in the 1950s.”
Those in attendance included Dryden, Shannon Cargo Ferguson, Bill Dryden, Craig Fletcher, Martha Gerdeman Johnson, Leah Gerdeman Overcash, Missie Miller Walker, Michael Miller, Justine Smith Lorehn, Carolyn Stivers Ehret, Sue Ellen Stivers Gittings, Terry Taylor Mitchell, Vicky Taylor, Gregg Turk, Marsha Ukropina Aguirre, Jan Ukropina Devens, Rob Ukropina, Bill Ukropina and Stephanie Wilson.
