We posted in November about long beloved, but long gone, Seattle radio talker, sailor, and author, Al Cummings. As is his wont: he'd dropped out of sight. From his home in Mexico, he wrote to introduce himself and check in...
Dear you, whoever you are:
Thanks for thinking of me! Now, you're hearing from me! I am alive, more than barely, and living in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico where I can eke out some dignity on my Fogey Pay.
As you know, I was back in Seattle about a year ago. I tried to find old friends in the phone book. All the names I remembered were missing.....maybe moved.....maybe...you know.
I Did find Frosty Fowler--alive and still beaver-eager. He knew how to find Bill Wippel...old news-gatherer on radio...he looked healthy and was friendly and spiritually centered. We all got together and had lunch. Not at Andy's Diner....although I saw it was still there. We drank a toast to all the guys and gals of the kilocycles. We also did a toast to Bob Hardwick--whom I always admired. "Why did he.....?" we asked. I told them I had spoken on the phone to Jim French....who was avuncular still.
I went downtown on the bus. Gawd! Cold, hard, distant, except for the strolling weirdos--thank God for them!
I looked up at the Smith Tower, enveloped by skyscrapers. "Tallest building W of the Mississippi" I remember broadcasting from there. I remembered an old honest-to-God Newsman...but now I can't remember his name...I may before I sign off. I remembered a Jim who used to smoke cigarettes and since we were up in a tower, couldn't go and get stogies and he had a big roll of string and he lowered a small cloth sack containing money and pulled up the cenceroonies.
I wandered down to the waterfront. Ivar....long passed to Gott....still there is an acre of bivalves for the busybusybusy people who happen by. I didn't go in. He never liked me, for some reason. I went a few yards north and looked for the little hutch where Rudy Becker used to megaphone passerby to go for a sightseeing trip on the Bay. He was one of my closest friends. He never really liked me calling him, even affectionately, "The Wharf Rat" on the air. He walked jauntily with an ornate cane. I control-stumble one.
I retreated from the waterfront, back to Little Saigon in the South Side of the city where I had an apartment that was subsidized. It was a nice, but it still cost me more than half my $$ per month. You know...it was mostly inhabited by Black Folks. They were all friendly to me in the hallways, but I have never had a Negro friend in all my life....I didn't know how to get close to anyone. Truth is: I have always had trouble making close friends.
I got the Hell out of the Downspout City. I came back here to Mexico where I have cuates and Gringo friends...and a Sig Other with whom I can discuss the relative merits of different stool softeners.
Well....enough. I could rattle on like this for pages....but I don't know if I have anything to tell you that would be of interest to this Modem World..
Whoever you are, I love you.
The Old Beachcomber
What a cool letter....I can only imagine what was going through his mind as he saw how much Seattle has changed. No wonder he went back to Mexico.
Posted by: sparky | March 27, 2010 at 09:40 AM
Hopefully you'll feature Burl one of these Saturdays.
Posted by: Mike Barer | March 27, 2010 at 09:51 AM
You're a poet, Mr. Cummings. That brought back memories and I enjoyed reading it.
You ought to look up Jaynie Jones. Bet you'd have a lot to talk about.
Sparky is right. That was one cool piece of writing! Thanks.
Posted by: joanie | March 27, 2010 at 12:10 PM
Al: I am so glad you wrote. It's good to know you are alive and still communicating so well. I really enjoyed our time at Mick Kelley's Irishj Pub when you were here.
It was great getting to know you. My prayers are with you! Best, Wip
Posted by: Bill Wippel | March 27, 2010 at 01:09 PM
"an acre of bivalves for the busybusybusy people . . . "
I just love that line!
Thanks, again.
Posted by: joanie | March 27, 2010 at 01:36 PM
Mr. Cummings, I am a newcomer and, sorry to say, I don't remember you on the radio. But I could see old Seattle through your eyes, and my heart aches for those days I never experienced. Much love, luck, good health and happiness to you.
Posted by: Nantuckett | March 27, 2010 at 01:52 PM
Thanks Al Cummings, I'd love to hear more from you. We miss real Seattle characters who are not gagged by political correctness or inspired to contrariness for the sake of being contrary.
Posted by: Cynthia Neuberger | March 27, 2010 at 03:08 PM
I have never had a Negro friend in all my life....
Wow! You should have stuck around, Mr. C. Seattle in the "Modern World" has legalized this, finally...
Fabulous to hear from you and thank you, Bla'M, for sharing...
Posted by: Fremont | March 27, 2010 at 03:16 PM
I have never had a Negro friend in all my life....
Nor have I; but many African American one's. [smile]
Posted by: Duffman | March 27, 2010 at 03:25 PM
I excel at smarminess.
Posted by: duffman's id | March 27, 2010 at 03:47 PM
Mr. Cummings: you helped lay the very foundations of a sense of humor that has proved to be more detrimental in my long life than not. My mother curses you from her grave.
Posted by: Dan D. | March 27, 2010 at 08:48 PM
"Cold, hard, distant".......Christ Al, it's 2010...i know it's coldblooded downtown now but did you really think you could stroll into Ben Paris and order a cup of coffee at the diner bar , next to a gawldang logger, and stare up at the Mooseheads, while people shopped behind you for sporting goods over in the sportsman's section of the joint....
Posted by: Tommy008 | March 28, 2010 at 12:30 AM
duffman's id: Thanks, I think. [smile]
Posted by: Duffman | March 28, 2010 at 08:16 AM
I'm willing to bet a Bloody Mary (Al's drink of choice during our gathering at Mick Kelly's in Burien)that the Smith Tower newsman whose name Al couldn't recall was Harry Jordan.
I'm also willing to bet that, if prompted, Al could be persuaded to recount his years broadcasting from the "Ape Cage," a glassed-in studio outside the KING Broadcasting Bldg. on Aurora Ave., when Aurora (Hiway 99)was the main north/south thoroughfare in Seattle.
And, oh, the long-ago smoker who used the string-and-bag method of getting his cigarettes from the ground-floor cigar store to the KRSC (later KING radio) studio in the upper floors of the Smith Tower? Well, that guy was the equally notable and revered Jim French, who later held forth mornings on KIRO for many successful years.
And, maybe, just maybe, Al could be persuaded to tell the story about the "Lead Balloon Factory" that he and French conjured up.
And then there's the "Roanoke," Al's live-aboard yacht from back in the day, and his time as one of KOL's "Seven Terrible Tigers."
That's one of the disappointments with Seattle radio nowadays: no more honest-to-goodness "characters" like Al Cummings.
Posted by: Bill Taylor | March 28, 2010 at 10:45 AM
Al's recollections, observations, and perspective evoked a lot of memories for me. He must have felt almost like an alien visitor from another planet when he returned to Seattle.
I smiled when Al mentioned trying to look up old friends in the phone book about a year ago. He must be one of the last people who has ever looked inside a phone book for anything. He could probably find most of the people he was seeking(those who are still living) on Facebook.
Posted by: Jaynie Dillon Jones | March 28, 2010 at 01:17 PM
There is no "personality" in local talk radio anymore. Dori's a pissed-off jock. Dave buries his burlesque tendencies in "thoughtfulness," Carlson is still just a nice boy, even Suits pulls his punches, Boze and Shiers never had any. you didn't used to have to be a partisan idiot to get ratings. We need more balls-out don't give a damn crazies like Al Cummings, Tom Murphy, Lan Roberts, Hardwick, etc.
Posted by: Myrtle Mopup | March 28, 2010 at 05:10 PM
Damn! it must have been a ripple in the Force... or was it the Ripple that I drank?
I wondered what happened to Al Cummings, and once again, Google to the rescue... I'm glad to hear that you're alive and well, even in Mexico. I listened to you on KOL, in the 60's, and I think you even made it to KOL-FM in the beginnings of AOR programming.
OK, what ever happened to Jerry Holzinger?
Posted by: rick | March 29, 2010 at 01:11 AM
Here's another vote for a feature on Burl Barer (and I'm not even a relative.)
Incredible multi-talented guy (don't you hate people like that who make the rest of us look bad.)
Burl Barer--too smart to have been just a rock jock.
Posted by: Erictheeditor | March 29, 2010 at 10:35 AM
I remember Al from his time at Bellevue Community College. I was never quite sure what he did, but I think it had something to do with consulting, teaching or just hanging around and looking important.
As for Jerry Holzinger, I'm not sure where he is now, but the last I heard (and this was YEARS ago) he was working for the state of Washington as some kind of investigator.
Posted by: Ray | March 29, 2010 at 11:12 PM
As for Burl Barer, he writes books and, according to his website, is a brilliant writer: http://www.burlbarer.net/
Posted by: Ray | March 29, 2010 at 11:14 PM
Who would have thought that such an attractive radio jock would turn out to be an intellectual ? Mmm-mm!
Posted by: joanie | March 30, 2010 at 02:14 AM
I really enjoyed reading this reply that my Grandfather sent in after reading what I forwarded to him from the November Blatherwatch. His "favorite things" are having real conversations with real people that have some depth to them. He comes alive! And in this, I see that he has not only come alive, but awoke from a slumber of life-as-usual, into his forte! Thank you everyone!
Posted by: Nancy-Dru Flowers | March 31, 2010 at 04:58 AM
Nice letter, nice coverage Blatherwatch!
Posted by: John | March 31, 2010 at 09:35 AM
Thanks for the update Grandpa
Love, Kali
Posted by: Kali | March 31, 2010 at 02:20 PM
Well I'll be damned . . .
I miss you, Al.
Marsh
[email protected]
Posted by: [email protected] | May 25, 2010 at 06:55 PM
Diee diee, dee, di, di.
Diee,diee, dee, di, di.
Diee, diee, dee, di, di
Di, Di, Di
Then the baby nods his head
he's ready for his Turkish bed . . .
Marsh
Posted by: [email protected] | May 26, 2010 at 04:31 PM
Hey, thanks all you out there that posted on this blog. To see what Al is up to now, read my blog about his new ideas... http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.ListAll&bID=535088474
thanks!
Granddaughter Nancy-Dru
Posted by: Nancy-Dru Flowers | May 29, 2010 at 04:57 PM
Jerry Holzinger (Uncle Jer)passed away some time ago. I believe it was in the early 1980's
Posted by: J.Russell | August 10, 2010 at 08:20 AM
Mr Al Cummings... Do you remember my father, Wally Miller? I remember in the late '50's he would talk to you on the phone, about anything & everything, and then a short ad for his furniture-store,"Wally's Discount Furniture"... "A Smile is Your Down-Payment" - Wally Jr., "[email protected]" God bless...
Posted by: Mickiskid | December 28, 2010 at 02:13 AM
Make that "Wally's Discount Furniture BASEMENT" on Aurora - also, I go by the name "Mick Waller" now, (not to confuse you)... I'm a musician - Wally Miller Jr.
Posted by: Mickiskid | December 28, 2010 at 02:24 AM
Al - a group of us remember you: Peter & Susan Risser (San Juan Canvas at Friday Harbor; Lutra), Joel & Susan Farley (lived on Roanoake at Blanchards), Rita Saling (Cho Cho San moored next to Roanoake at Blanchards). Greetings from the Blanchards Dock Rats. We were glad to find that you are still sailing through life - San Miguel is a beautiful harbor.
Posted by: Peter Risser | November 06, 2011 at 08:35 PM
Wow.....Al.....the same guy who taught me all I know while at KTNT....who took ol' blues guys from my show cold on his mid-day TV thing....the guy who ran with me with Concerned Adults for a Clean Alphabet (CACA) during the School sex-ed uproar....THAT AL?!!!!! Jeeze...good to see that ugly mug again.
George Warner 'The Bluesmakers' KTNT-AM....a hundred years ago
Posted by: Sonny Warner | May 17, 2012 at 08:00 PM