Well, another waxing nostalgic post, here comes

So Walter Cronkite has passed, probably most haven't thought of him in the past years, I, too, received these pre-printed letters from him extolling the use of free press, CARE, and other organizations over the years. It was nice hearing what his true feelings were in reading these letters, I somehow don't get the impression that he would have lent his name to anything he did not believe in.

But the memories of his broadcasts, they came flooding back last night; when JFK was assasinated, my parents were both working in the city, so I left school and went to stay with trusted neighbors: Uncle Joe, the bookie, who drove a cream colored '57 Fleetwood, convertible, and Aunt Mary, who would ply me into doing my homework with Jordan almonds and Turkish delights, I remember watching CBS news with Uncle Joe, and seeing this man take off his glasses and glance up at a clock, the tears glistening in his eyes. I didn't know who he was, but I got the feeling that those around me, the solid ones, the secure ones, were suddenly confused and fearful.

He could convey that to a small child with one glance.

And the walk on the moon! I remember watching an old TV at my uncle's house, outside, while my cousins and I splashed around in the pool, my uncle adjusting the view by moving the rabbit ears on the TV, and again this man, clapping his hands, gleefully, you could just feel the shivers going up and down his spine, I wasn't much interested, until I saw that hand clapping, and everyone, in their summer clothes, with the gin and tonics in their one hand, cigarette in the other, stopped, and all smiled at each other, as if witnessing a proud birth. They were. They were watching a promise made fulfilled, and they were glad they could do it.

Cronkite expressed dismay at entertainment news; why wouldn't he? he didn't show a sliver of his true thoughts for so many years, and suddenly we are without this reminder.

Maybe the right thing to do, is to try and achieve again what he did; agree among ourselves that the news and those that report it is awesome tool; an informed public does well to protect a fragile ideal like democracy; without the rancor, without the opinion, without the emotion, just the objective facts.

Maybe this could be a promise to be fulfilled, that some day we all stand around with our gin and tonics, and maybe not the smokes, and smile at each other over.

Regards

Pace

I was 10 when JFK was shot. I never forgot how he took off his glasses and wiped his eyes right after he reported that John F. Kennedy died at Parkland Hospital in Dallas. It made the horrible shock of that tragedy seem all the more intense and yet it was very comforting that he showed us his human emotion as well. As it was all too much to take in, without seeing him also expressing it. It helped a bit to see that he did express his emotion, at that moment.

Nice post!

~LAM

before we see a person of such character and integrity play such a leading role in journalism again. We're not in that frame of mind to hear what we should over what we want. I hope I live to see such days again, but it takes a long time to rebuild trust once it has been lost and there is so little progress in evidence.

Walter Cronkite should be remembered as a shining example of the value of trust, lest we forget the very meaning of the word.

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RIP, Walter C.

I'm smiling at you, Mizz Pace. Beautifully done! And "Uncle Walter" he was the best -- so reassuring to those of us who were so young, back then. (Kind of like Daddy Ike, no?)

Wait a minute -- Turkish Delight!! Are Italians allowed to eat Turkish Delights? We grew up on them -- such a special treat (not to mention the deep dark swirly smoke put out by my grandfather's Turkish and Egyptian (!) cigarettes. No comment ref. the secondary smoke effects, all these years later) Oy, so Proustian. :-)

My mother always kept two boxes of them stashed for drop-in company; one in the freezer, one in a 'secret' (ha) hiding place in the dining room breakfront. To be more specific, Turkish Delight "Ali Muhiddin Haci Bekir" founded in 1777 in Constantinople (Ha, now "Istanbul," excuse ME...).

Lokum, as the Turks call it, or loukoumi (as the Greeks call it) has been around since the 15th Century, I was stunned to find out. And to my great surprise, Haci Bekir's brand is carried by the Cost Plus World Market chain. $ 3.99 for a box, which looks exactly like the boxes my grandparents and parents used to stash -- way back in the day. Exactly, right down to the design, the geometric-shaped boxes and the Turkish/French/English labeling.

Oh wow, Mizz P. you have really taken me back now. And as for Uncle Walter, we haven't seen his kind since and we certainly won't again. (I think Ted Koppel might have approached him, but he shortened his career too soon and poor Dan Rather had it in him, too. Stupid CBS.) And thanks for mentioning his neutrality and objectivity.

Thank you. (Say Hi to the Sound for me, as always. How are the clams this year?)

C/t. ("Melly" to you. :-) )

the clams are not so good this year, but the steamers are great!

Just came back from a kajak trip to see my favorite osprey, my cherub is in Dallas, (as I stated to Jack yesterday) wreakin havoc!.

Those two events, and of course, they are distinctive for almost every American over 50, just flooded my brain when I heard he had passed. A real gentleman, the kind of guy who if you didn't like em, there is definitely something wrong with you.

Sound sends it's smells and sounds Mel.

Regards

Pace

some people remind me of furniture, you know? you meet or listen to someone, and in my mind I see:

1) Particle board gussied up to look like an antique

2) solid maple, but painted to look like mahogany

Or in Cronkite's case:

3) Old ship desk, careworn, and gouged, but solid, study, timeless and classic.

Cronkite was a classic.

Regards

Pace