Barefoot and Wagons
Volume 49, Issue 8
By Crabby Abby

Dear Island Readers,

A week of erratic weather (cold, then hot, then hot with no sun) has driven my dear friend Sandy (Drawers, your usual esteemed OB columnist) off island again, so I’ve stepped in to rap at you about some of what’s been going down in your beloved village.

First off, what’s up with no one knowing just what’s up with the Bay Beach closure? Town officials have more or less stuck to the story that it was only closed for five days (or three or four, depending on who you ask) and that it wasn’t the only beach to be shut down because of high cootie levels swimming about in the wa-wa. But if you’ve been keeping your eyes to the ink of this paper you know the official version, which our reporters got from the experts: It was closed for just over a week, and it was only our beach. Oh yeah, and they just can’t say why, and will probably never know.

My recommendation? Do what I’ve done for the past 40 summers: take your kids into the ocean, and save the bay for boating. Unless you consider bacteria and icky seaweed personal friends.

You heard it here first, last and a few times in between, folks.

Second off, what’s up with the historical society? Apparently several shows were scheduled for this year, one featuring photos from Wally Picard, another with art by Sallie Potterton, but they’re not allowed to use the space set aside at the new community house. They’ve been told that they can’t hang things up there because it’s sheet rock…huh? It’s our community house, and the historical society is a beloved institution, so I encourage my dear readers to ask our elected officials why no shows have been allowed to go up, and probably won’t go up this season.

Candles, as they say, to one of my favorite people, Wally’s longtime partner and an Ocean Beach treasure, Ms. Edith Coleen Calhoun Mendelsohn, headmistress of the Edithery, sweet-smelling raconteur and frankly one of the nicest darn chicks you’re likely to meet. I went to her b-day party Saturday night, enjoyed a Pina Colada or five with my peeps and—hurried off to check out the Battle of the Bands over at the docks. There were some nice, handsome young men “rocking out,” but the highlight for me was local favorites (and by local I mean Long Island) Jean Hates John, fronted by April Jimenez.

I don’t know who this young lady is—and the music was a bit alternative for my taste (Henny Youngman, Glen Miller, those are bands!)—but what a pair of pipes! Those guys had the dock rocking and the ferry shimmying. I felt 65 again! I heard they have already been invited back for next year by the planner, John Schaffner, aka, Love the Plumber.

For another rocking time check out the OBCF Treasure Island night. Cost is 75 beans per head, August 6, 8 p.m. Get tix at Love the Plumber and FI Liquors.

I’ll see you then kiddies!