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OPINIONOPINION

Mountain Views-News Saturday, April 6, 2024 

RICH JOHNSON 

NOW THAT’S RICH

STUART TOLCHIN

MOUNTAIN 
VIEWS

NEWS

PUBLISHER/ EDITOR

Susan Henderson

PASADENA CITY 
EDITOR

Dean Lee 

PRODUCTION

SALES

Patricia Colonello

626-355-2737 

626-818-2698

WEBMASTER

John Aveny 

DISTRIBUTION

Peter Lamendola

CONTRIBUTORS

Stuart Tolchin 

Harvey Hyde

Audrey Swanson

Meghan Malooley

Mary Lou Caldwell

Kevin McGuire

Chris Leclerc

Dinah Chong Watkins

Howard Hays

Paul Carpenter

Kim Clymer-Kelley

Christopher Nyerges

Peter Dills 

Rich Johnson

Lori Ann Harris

Rev. James Snyder

Katie Hopkins

Deanne Davis

Despina Arouzman

Jeff Brown

Marc Garlett

Keely Toten

Dan Golden

Rebecca Wright

Hail Hamilton

Joan Schmidt

LaQuetta ShambleE

PUT THE LIGHTS ON


WINNING VERSUS WHINING 

This is an important article; as to me, at least, 
I believe it is. I have always spent a lot of time 
complaining. When I think about it, I realize 
there is something positive about complaining. 
It contains a feeling that there is something to 
be done to make things better but, of course, 
I rarely take that action; I just complain. This 
morning, I awoke with a cough and even had trouble talking. I 
feared my condition would get worse if I met my friend Will for 
early morning golf as we do every Wednesday. Instead of playing 
I left a message saying that I could not play today.

Feeling a bit guilty I climbed back into bed and got under the 
warm covers and made myself comfortable. It was the usual 
time to put my dog’s food out and let him out of the house to 
do whatever he wanted to do. Well instead of feeling bad I 
noticed how comfortable I was in bed. I let my dog come under 
the covers and thought about yesterday when I looked at the 
beautiful snow-capped mountains on a day with the temperature 
in the mid-seventies.

Hooray for Sierra Madre I thought echoing the words of a man 
I had given a ride to in the morning. This man, who I had met 
about five years ago, lives without a home or a permanent shelter 
somewhere up in the hills. On Tuesdays there is a special sale 
of fish tacos, two for $3.49, and he had walked all the way down 
from the hills to make this purchase. I met him just below the 
beginning of the Mount Wilson trail as I kidded with early 
morning hikers ready to begin their fourteen-mile trek. Of 
course, I complained to myself that I should be exercising and 
trying to stay healthy, but you know it was like the warm covers; 
it feels good to be comfortable. 

Anyway, as I drove the man to the taco place, he told me the story 
of his adventures. Over twenty years ago he had been working as 
an engineering professional unhappy with his life. He made the 
decision to quit his job, take off his tie, and began selling pretzels 
on the streets of New York in order to pay his rent. Well, after 
a while, he decided that paying rent was an unnecessary burden 
and began his life without rent and without a home. He bragged 
to me how he had escaped the “confines of a cage” in which about 
everybody else lived. He said that over five years ago he had 
stumbled upon our little town of Sierra Madre located at the base 
of the mountains. He said the town was unique; everyone smiled 
and said hello and that if you dropped your wallet on the street 
someone would find it and it would be returned. 

What he described sounded crazy to me and I would not 
purposely go around dropping my wallet on the street, although 
I have done that in the parking lot at Walgrens in Pasadena. (it 
was returned) Nevertheless, I was impressed with how happy 
he seemed to be about himself. All at once I realized that what 
matters is not how right or wrong you were, but instead how 
content you are with your decision. It is a win to believe you are 
doing the right thing. My wife goes around turning off lights, 
not because she genuinely believes it will save money, but rather 
because she is certain that is the right thing to do. I could have 
played golf today but instead I stayed home, stayed warm and 
finished this article with time to spare and within the suggested 
word limit. That is a win. 

FAMOUS LAST WORDS

Last week’s column focused on Easter which is when believer’s celebrate 
the resurrection of Jesus Christ. His last words on the day he was 
crucified and died were “It is finished.” 

Following are His first words spoken after He was risen 3 days later. He was speaking to 
Mary Magdalene who had just discovered the tomb was empty. She was crying because 
she assumed someone stole the body of Jesus denying her ability to truly mourn His 
death. Boy, was she in for a surprise. Jesus said to Mary: “Woman, why are you weeping? 
Woman, who are you seeking”.

Mary didn’t recognize him at first… thought he was a gardener. But when he uttered 
one more word “Mary” (Her name) she realized who she was talking to.

Let’s take a look at the last few words of some of our favorite characters through 
history. I mean, at the very least, it would be a good idea for all of us to have something 
memorable and profound to leave this world saying. 

Let’s start with…Funny!

Oscar Wilde, possibly the most famous last words in our western culture, was dying in 
a seedy French hotel room. His last words? “My wallpaper and I are fighting a duel to 
the death, One or the other of us has got to go.”

Lawrence of Rome, Deacon (patron saint of school children, cooks and comedians…
my guy. Lived around 225 AD). His last words, “Turn me over – I’m done on this side”.

Henrik Ibsen, playwright. His wife had just remarked that he looked like he was better. 
His response…his last: “On the contrary.”

Votaire, the writer/philosopher: A priest asked Voltaire if he wanted to denounce Satan. 
Voltaire’s response: “Now is not the time for making new enemies”.

Buddy Rich, the drummer on his way into surgery was asked by a nurse if there was 
anything he couldn’t take? His response: “Yeah, country music.” Last words.

John Sedgwick, General of the Union Army at the front lines. He was just warned about 
keeping out of sight. His response: “They couldn’t hit an elephant at this dist---”

W. C. Fields, comedian. (The setting is questionable here. I’ve read a couple of biographies 
of W.C. Fields and I doubt he said this on his death bed.) Nevertheless, someone once 
saw him leafing through a Bible and asked him if he had found religion. His answer was 
no… “I’m looking for loopholes!”

Bob Hope, on his death bed was asked by his wife where he wanted to be buried. Always 
the comedian, his final response was, “Surprise me!”

Dylan Thomas, the Welsh poet after a night of drinking at the White Horse Tavern in 
New York City, “I’ve had eighteen straight whiskies. I think that’s the record.”

Marie Antoinette, on the way to the guillotine she stepped on her executioner’s foot. 
Her last words? “Pardon me, sir, I did not do it on purpose.”

Pancho Villa, Mexican revolutionary. “Don’t let it end like this. Tell them I said 
something important.”

Talk about gallows humor! Nostradamus, famous French astrologer, physician and self-
proclaimed prophet: Last words? “Tomorrow at sunrise, I shall no longer be here.” He 
was right.

Harriet Tubman (Abolitionist and social activist) Her last words: “Give my love to the 
churches. Tell the woman to stand firm. I go to prepare a place for you.”

Leonardo da Vinci: “I have offended God and mankind because my work did not reach 
the quality it should have.”

Richard Feynman. Famous physicist: “This dying is boring”.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, author of Sherlock Holmes stories turned to his wife in the 
garden and said, “You are wonderful”, clutched his heart and died.

Groucho Marx last words? “This is no way to live”.

Chico Marx last words? “Put in my coffin a deck of cards, a mashie niblick (golf club) 
and a pretty blonde”.

George Orwell: “At 50, everyone has the face he deserves.” (He died at 46)

Oh my, this column is 666 words long.

Mountain Views News 
has been adjudicated as 
a newspaper of General 
Circulation for the County 
of Los Angeles in Court 
Case number GS004724: 
for the City of Sierra 
Madre; in Court Case 
GS005940 and for the 
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is published every Saturday 
at 80 W. Sierra Madre 
Blvd., No. 327, Sierra 
Madre, California, 91024. 
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DINAH CHONG WATKINS


CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE 
WRONG KIND

SHO-MEI THE MONEY!

With that recent curveball hurled ‘round the world, 
die-hard Dodgers fans cross their fingers, hang 
their lucky rabbit’s foot (illegally) on their rear view 
mirror, and for season ticket holders - prostrate 
themselves praying for holy intervention from the 
Head Coach/Umpire upstairs. Major League phenom 
Shohei Ohtani and his jaw-dropping priced 
team of representatives painstakingly maneuver 
their way to keep Ohtani on the pitcher’s mound and out of the pokey.

Is the question that Ohtani is this century’s Babe Ruth or Babe Rube? 
While many of us could overlook a waylaid $45 even $450 in our accounts, 
$4.5 million ought to raise a red flag.

But then, where does hubris and superstition flourish if not in the mushrooming 
world of gambling?

“The House always wins” my mother used to caution us, as my sister 
and I would cannonball from one satin sheeted bed to the other in the 
casino’s “complementary” hotel suite. At the end of their hard-playing 
day, my parents would meet us at Tropicana’s All-You-Can-Eat steak 
and lobster buffet, “On The House!” my father would gleefully exclaim; 
coincidentally, those occasional weekends in Vegas led to more home 
cooked meals and less dining out after we returned.

As unexpected as a snowfall in June, an old acquaintance dropped by 
bearing a gift. His pleasantries were short and with a pompous flourish, 
he bequeathed to them a centuries old, two-hand high, painted clay figurine 
of an ancient Chinese water goddess, her exact origins unknown. 
He didn’t linger for chit chat, in fact, he left his car running in our driveway. 
My parents eyes lit up at the talisman, could she be their Ace in 
the Hole against The House? And in the beginning, luck was their Lady. 

Their hot streak extended to the point where The House would comp 
them and a dozen of their closest friends travel and accommodations 
to the alluring ring-a-ding dings of the slots and playa-sized cash outs 
at Blackjack. 

Soon though, their streak went lukewarm, a series of unfortunate mishaps, 
including the night when Death came knocking but instead, got 
the duplex next door. Was it just a fluke or the random whims of the 
ancient water goddess?

Appeasement was not my parent’s thing but neither was an unceremonious 
dunk into the bin with the weekly trash. Should they remove it 
under the cover of darkness, sight unseen except for those dead, hollow 
clay eyes? Should they give it to someone else? Is that why so-and-so 
gave it to them? He never liked them in the first place.

I can’t remember how or where the figurine ended up, only my parent’s 
relief when it was gone and no more complementary jaunts to Sin City. 

Years later, my son and I visited Macau, a special administrative region 
of communist China, their casinos generate three times the gambling 
revenue of Las Vegas. We were at the Venetian Casino to see Cirque du 
Soleil and passed by the gaming rooms. My son took a $10 chance on 
roulette, one number - one chip. The dealer congratulated him on his 
momentous win and asked him if he wanted to “Let it ride.”

Unlike newly fired Dodgers translator Ippei Mizurhara, The House 
did not win that day.

Dinah Chong Watkins column appears every 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month.

For more Close Encounters Of The Wrong Kind go to www.ceotwk.com


Mountain 
Views News

Mission Statement

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concerns of our readers 
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values of the exceptional 
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Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com