Saturday, January 28, 2017
The walk from Kathy's house into Sea Cliff was about a mile, mostly uphill, and it always ended at Charlie's bookshop, where there was great talk and great books, many of which now grace our own shelves. As I write this, I'm looking at a set of Anthony Trollope's Palliser novels that I bought at Sea Cliff Books. In Brooklyn, I have a rare and beautiful book on New York by Theodore Dreiser that I bought from Charlie. Our walks to town since the closing of the store have never been the same. Sea Cliff is still lovely, but we miss Charlie's calm, his charm, and his elegant conversation. Just seeing him there, at the store, was a steadying force. It was also at the store that we met Julie, whose delightful company we've enjoyed ever since.
One day Charlie asked us to mind the store for a few moments as he had somewhere to go. While we were doing what he asked, a young man came into the store, bursting with energy and anecdotes. He said he was fresh off the road, having just driven cross-country. He had, it seemed to me, just stepped out of the pages of On the Road. That was our first meeting with Patrick, who is still so dear to us.
Thanks to your family for making Sea Cliff a better place. Condolences and love from Kathy and Ray
