THE CONSTANT

CURMUDGEON

By John Pierre

For the Beacon

I always thought I walked at a fairly brisk pace, for a guy in his mid-70s, on my almost-daily walk along the Edmonds waterfront.

My illusion was shattered a short time ago when a man in a wheelchair, propelled by arm power, breezed by me like I was walking backward. I had seen him before as he's a regular visitor to the area.

Rob Shay, who was born with spina bifida, gets around better than most of us who are fortunate enough to have the use of our legs.

I noticed that he wears a t-shirt that seems in opposition to vegetarianism. My first clue was the message on the back of the shirt, There's Room For All God's CreaturesRight Next To My Mashed Potatoes.

I'm guessing that Rob isn't as anti-vegetarian as the shirt would imply only because I have noted that, along with a ready smile, he has a delightful sense of humor. I think he's just poking fun.

Personally, I love vegetables. I'd rather eat the carrots and potatoes that always come with a pot roast than the often inexpensive (that's th' PC term for "cheap") cut of meat.

The meat, invariably, has hidden bits of gristle and fat that lurk in the shadows of the choicest looking morsels waiting for me to bite into them. Aaaaarrrrggggh!

But while I'm a vegetable lover, I hanker now and then for a nice, juicy medium or medium-rare steak about the size of those featured in the movie The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. One of them filled up a fryin' pan (into a couple inches of smoking hot lard) about the size of a 1960s Cadillac hubcap. Ohhh yeeeeaaaah! Now that's livin'!

If youre fortunate enough to run across Rob Shay along the waterfront (usually Brackett's Landing), tell him I said howdy. Thankee kindly.