Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, February 12, 2022

Mountain Views-News Saturday, February 12, 2022 

CHRISTOPHER Nyerges 



CHILDHOOD’S END 

[Nyerges is a teacher and author of many books; more information can be had 
at www.SchoolofSelf-Reliance.com]

 I hadn’t been able to sleep much the night before, so I arose very early. It 

was Saturday, and the sun had not begun to rise over the hills to the east. It 

was very quiet, and I could actually feel the collective heave and sigh of relief 
as the city took a break from the madness of racing around day after day so you can afford to 
do whatever it is that you believe you’d rather be doing than racing around every day making 
money. 

The streets were still dark, and cool, and devoid of people. I began to bicycle through the city 
streets, first working my way through the downtown apartment areas, and then gradually 
north where there were more trees and bigger yards. The mountains were glowing with the 
rising sun, and by now the sky was light and birds were chirping everywhere. A few cars were 
now on the road, and an occasional jogger whished by on the sidewalk. 

The city was magical when everyone slept. Oh, I knew that there was some chance of encountering 
no-good criminals who would try to accost or rob me --that’s part of the tightness 
of the city. But everyone seemed to be asleep, even the muggers. I didn’t even see homeless, 
for they too were tucked away in whatever spots they’d found for staying warm. 

The sun took its time in rising and the sky was overcast and cloudy on this early Saturday 
morning. A cool breeze blew down the city streets as a mountain breeze might blow down 
a canyon. Where you’d expect to see hawks perched high in the tallest mountain trees, I saw 
pigeons perched on the edges of the tall buildings. No matter what man does, nature usually 
adapts, and ultimately overcomes. 

I began to bicycle to the north, towards the mountains. What had been a truly casual and 
leisurely ride was now becoming a bit of work as I went uphill closer to the foothills of the San 
Gabriel range. I slowly rode to the very base of the mountains and watched a group of Boy 
Scouts unloading from the family vans and station wagons and loading on their backpacks 
for a day or weekend of adventure. I could see the excitement in their faces and hear it in 
their voices. For most of them, this would be a first adventure in campcraft. 

I turned my bicycle around and began to coast back down the hill, and after a few miles, I 
turned down a street where a family I knew lived. I slowly bicycled by and saw that only Jim, 
the young six-year-old, was out in the yard playing. I said hello, and he recognized me and 
said hello. He asked me if I wanted to see the dirt people. I got off my bike, and got down 
on my hands and knees, and he showed me the little tunnels and trails of the dirt people, and 
he showed me where they lived, and how they drove around on little pebbles. He pushed a 
pebble with a long stick, and made a sound like an automobile engine. 

“See how they go?” he said, excited. “Make yours go,” he commanded, and so I began to 
push a little pebble around with a stick. I had to make sounds like a car when the dirt people 
wanted to turn quick or stop suddenly, and I had to keep the pebble on the roads that Jim had 
built. Jim told me about the monsters that come out sometimes and the dirt people have to 
run and hide, because the monsters are so powerful. 

He pointed to a little ant that had come out of a hole, and Jim gave voice to the monster-ant: 
a slow, deep growl as it walked along the dirt people’s road. I was informed that the monster 
always takes the easy path along the dirt people’s road, because the monster was lazy. That 
was its weakness, and the dirt people could use that fact to their advantage when they wage a 
war against the monsters. 

Each pebble, each leaf, each stick, each undulation of the ground had a name and a meaning 
in Jim’s world into which I had entered. I was lying there in the dirt with him, pushing a 
pebble, making sounds, and truly enjoying myself when his mother came out. 

“What are you guys doing?” she asked to both of us, but really to me. 

Jim responded, “The dirt people are all getting together because the monsters are getting 
ready to invade. We watched the monsters begin the war, and the dirt people are now all trying 
to defend themself, right?” he looks at me. 

His mother looks at me sideways, noting that I am covered in dirt as is Jim. She smiles, and 
says only “Oh.” She just stands there and looks, and I know that it means nothing to Jim, but I 
feel the censure of an adult in the adult world, and I realize that I should feel embarrassment. 
When I think about it, I realize that I did feel a little embarrassed, but mainly because somehow 
I’ve been taught that some things are for children and some things are for adults. Adults 
are not allowed entry into the make-believe world of children, at least not by other adults. 

So after a while, I got up, and shook off the dust. I told Jim’s mother that I was just passing 
by, and I said goodbye to Jim. Sobered up to proper reality, I rode on, and eventually headed 
back home. 

I had truly enjoyed myself lying there in the dirt, without video games or electronic entertainers 
which so many of today’s youth are addicted to. We were enjoying a simple pleasure of life 
that required nothing but an active imagination and the ability to believe. And that’s what’s 
wrong with adults. Our bodies got older and we allowed our minds to ossify. We put aside 
imagination for pragmatism, and we gave up the ability to believe for hard-earned cynicism. 

That morning, I realized that childhood ends when you can no longer lie in the dirt and 
imagine. 


BILLY & BOBBY: 
SUPERSWEET! 

These two will capture 
your heart for Valentine’s 
Day and beyond! They 
are handsome boys and 
are very sweet and playful. 
Bobby is a tuxedo, 
with just the cutest white 
whiskers and paws, while 
Billy is all shiny and sleek 
black. Both are "great, en


ergetic, fun, affectionate, and healthy." They are mellow and especially love to be petted. They'll be 
adopted together, because they are besties and always have each other to play and snuggle with 
when you’re not around. Both boys love to play with toys. Purr-ty please consider adopting this 
purr-fect pair! See more pictures and videos of them on our website’s Teens page. Just submit your 
application at Lifeline for Pets: www.lifelineforpets.org. 

Pet of the Week

 Four-year-old Buttercup came to us as a stray cat witha litter of kittens. Now, she’s ready to live a cozy indoorlife! Buttercup is a little shy at first and needs some timeto adjust to new people and surroundings, but once shedoes, her affectionate side starts to show. Buttercup enjoyshead scratches and petting, and purrs a lot when she getsattention. She even gives a gentle head butt when she wantsmore pets, and is learning to play with toys!

 
The adoption fee for cats is $100. All cat adoptions include spay or neuter, microchip,
and age-appropriate vaccines.

 New adopters will receive a complimentary health-and-wellness exam from VCAAnimal Hospitals, as well as a goody bag filled with information about how to care for 
your pet. 

View photos of adoptable pets and schedule an adoption appointment at pasadenahumane.
org. Adoptions are by appointment only, and new adoption appointments are availableevery Sunday and Wednesday at 10:00 a.m.

 Pets may not be available for adoption and cannot be held for potential adopters byphone calls or email. 

ANNOUNCING THE SIERRA 
MADRE PLAYHOUSE SOLO 
SHOWS FESTIVAL; BEGINS 
FEBRUARY 25

 Sierra Madre Playhouse is beginning our return 
to live performances with a series of one-person shows 
that we’re calling the Sierra Madre Playhouse Solo Shows 
Festival. 

Covid-19 safety protocols in effect on performance dates will be observed. As 
of this writing, that means audiences will be masked and asked to show proof of vaccination, 
by vax card or digital record. Here’s what we have lined up for you:

 February 25-27, 2022: Billie: Backstage with Lady Day. Synthia L. Hardy stars 
as jazz and blues legend Billie Holiday. Billie talks about her life and times to reporters 
back-stage, before giving a concert where you’ll hear the hits that made her famous. 
Written by Synthia L. Hardy. Directed by Bryan Rasmussen. Synthia is backed by a 
four-piece live jazz ensemble.

 March 4-6: Frank Ferrante’s GROUCHO. Frank Ferrante returns to Sierra 
Madre Playhouse to perform his internationally renowned show as legendary comedian 
Groucho Marx, with stories, jokes, and famous novelty songs (Hooray for Captain 
Spalding!, Lydia the Tattooed Lady).

 April 2- 3: EINSTEIN! Writer-performer Jack Fry portrays young Albert Einstein, 
whose world is in turmoil as he fights to establish his Theory of General Relativity, 
which would affect profoundly the technology of the 20th and 21st Centuries. An 
inspiring and true story.

 April 9-10: INDEPENDENCE: The True Story of Dr. Mary Walker. Combat 
veteran. Battlefield physician. Abolitionist. Suffragist. Feminist. American hero. Kathie 
Barnes stars as Dr. Mary Walker in the real, inspiring story of the first and only woman 
to win the Con-gressional Medal of Honor. Written and directed by Lloyd J. Schwartz.

 April 23-24: An Evening with John Wilkes Booth. America has a fascination 
with true-crime stories, and this is the most infamous true-crime story of all. The question 
re-mains: Why?
Stephen Spiegel stars as the notorious assassin. Written by Lloyd J. Schwartz and Clinton 
Case. Directed by Lloyd J. Schwartz.

 There you have it: A series of five shows starring five remarkable performers 
por-traying five real-life individuals whose lives made a difference in the world in 
which they lived.

 Sierra Madre Playhouse Solo Shows Festival is produced by the Playhouse’s Interim 
Artistic Director Gary Lamb.

Tickets will be available either for individual shows or via a flex-pass subscription. 
Go to http://sierramadreplayhouse.org or call (626) 355-4318. The flex-pass subscription 
will offer you a break on ticket prices. 

Sierra Madre Playhouse is located at 87 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. in Sierra Madre, 
CA 91024. This is just east of Pasadena. There is free parking available in a municipal 
lot be-hind the Playhouse, and in a lot across the street, as well as street parking. There 
are sev-eral dining establishments just steps from the Playhouse.

 The Sierra Madre Playhouse Solo Shows Festival: Your tickets to five nights of 
theatrical enchantment, LIVE on stage. Join us. 


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