Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, May 21, 2022

Mountain View News Saturday, May 21, 2022 

CHRISTOPHER Nyerges 


CASSIUS GIFT 


“The Greatness of a Nation can be determined by how its animals are 
treated” – Ghandi 

[This story is from Nyerges’ book, “Til Death Do Us Part?” his stories and 
lessons about death, including how he held animal “faunerals.” The book is 
available from Kindle, or www.SchoolofSelf-Reliance.com. Cassius Clay, or 
Cassie, was Nyerges’ pet Staffordshire Terrier.] 

I recently participated in an Animal Appreciation Day, where everyone talked 
about how much they loved their pet dog or cat, and, how they conducted a “fauneral” 
when the animal died. 

I shared my many fond memories of Cassius Clay, my purple ribbon pure-bred Staffordshire 
Terrier who was with me 17 years. I always thought that I was taking care of Cassius and 
helping and saving Cassius in his last months – I had to carry him in and out, and was always 
concerned about his welfare. In the end, I realize that Cassius was helping and saving me. He 
instilled in me a sense of responsibility and caring that maybe I never had before. 

When I talked about Cassius, I thought about his role in my life. I thought about how I tried 
to see his dog pictures of the world, how he processes the many smells that he takes so long 
each day to smell. When I attempted to go into his mind, like Beatrice Lydecker described 
in her How I Talk to the Animals book, I “saw” a colorful, very dynamic image of flowing 
geometric shapes that all moved like the wind in varying patterns, in a three-dimensional 
complexity. To me, it was the complexity of odors that meant so much to Cassius, and verylittle to me. 

Shortly after he died, I asked him to show me his picture, and I “saw” in front of my his bigface licking mine. He was telling me that he was happy, in peace, no pain and that I was OK. 

I thought about Easter Day some years ago when Cassius died. Though he had had trouble 
walking for weeks, he seemed OK in the morning. When I came home in the early evening, it 
was dark and he was warm but I could not rouse him from his house, and when I pulled him 
out, I knew it was over, even though I tried to bring him back. There was no music, no singing 
of birds, just the quiet of the night and the final sounds of his dying body. 

I realized as I thought back over my life with Cassius that his gift was his unconditional love. 
And now that he was gone, I tried to sort out the meaning of that love. I have heard it said 
that Eternal Life is synonymous with Eternal Love. That Eternal Love is also impersonal. It 
is universal loving without concern for prejudice or opinion or preferences. It is doing what 
is right, and not being concerned about my group, or my party, or my race, or my gender, or 
my family. It is finding those ways of thinking, and of living, that exemplify the Golden Rule, 
and Jesus’ command to “Love ye one another as ye love your self.” Which means we must love 
our spiritual self, and see that every single one of us is the same. 

Cassius taught me to be a better person. He taught me to see that only through impersonal 
love can we ever find real meaning and harmony. Of course, I feel a personal love for Cassius, 
and for other close people in my life. But now again, Cassius has made me realize that death 
is inevitable, and personal love is full of pain and heartache and disappointment. Impersonal 
loving is not focused exclusively towards one person or animal but is a way of thinking about 
all life, including all animals. This was Cassius’s gift to me. 

[Nyerges is the author of several books, including “Til Death Do Us Part?”, “Enter the Forest,” 
and “How to Survive Anywhere.” He can be contacted via this paper, or www.SchoolofSelfReliance.
com.] 

The Chef Knows By Peter Dills 
WHAT DO THE STOCK MARKET AND PARKWAY GRILL 
HAVE IN COMMON? 

Well, one is consistent and the other is a rollercoaster. 

Friend Jim Cascone and I had plans to taste wine at the local bottle 
shop Thursday Night, are plans got interrupted so I decided to 
revisit one of the most popular and well-respected restaurants in 
Pasadena. The Parkway Grill has been awardeded-congragulated 
-praised for over thirty years. For good reason is it has proven to be 
very consistent, which has always been a formula for success. 

Would Thursday’s night adventure pass the Peter Dills' test? Sure, 
with flying Colors. Why is The Parkway Grill so successful, I believe 
owners Gregg and Bob Smith will settle for nothing less. Am 
I giving you a "homer" review? Nope!!! Paid for my own meal. Gregg was present at the 
restaurant, a good sign. 


But let's stick to the task at hand. On my Thursday visit, .....Seems that I have been here a 
hundred times, I decided to sit in the bar for dinner I wanted to keep an eye on the local 
talent in hopes that my luck on stocks wouldn’t interfere with a great meal and people watching. 
My server/bartender was Mark and he gleefully handed me the dinner menu. After he 
rattled off a few weekly specials, I opted to stick with the regular dinner menu. I started with 
Parkway’s Caesar salad ahhh perfect, Caesar Cardina would be very proud!!! The Romaine 
was prefect and the croutons were mixed correctly with the dressing. We are off to a very 
good start. Second up, the Tiger Shrimp Corn Dogs, think hotdogs but a better stuffing!
My final choice the main course was the Chilean Sea Bass cooked perfectly and was a big 
enough portion to share with my table (bar) mates. All in all two thumbs way up!!! ParkwayGrill always is a great choice and today's lunch was no different. Dessert? Forget about it! 
I’m stuffed. 

Parkway Grill 510 S. Arroyo Parkway Pasadena, CA 91105 (626) 795-1001Listen to Dining with Dills on AM 830 KLAA this Sunday at 5 PM 

Celebrations begin at Clearman’s...Celebrations begin at Clearman’s... 
• GOURMET DINING 
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TFri-St 11:30am - 10:00pm 
STAY SAFE! 

GET VACCINATED! 

WEAR A MASK! 

LITTLE SNUGGLEBUGS 

The cute tabby is Daniel 
(or Danny boy as his 
foster mom likes to call 
him). She says that Daniel 
is one of the sweetest 
kittens she's ever had as 
he likes to snuggle and 
be held. Devon, all fluffy 
gray, is not re-lated, but 
they have been lovinglyhand raised together like brothers, so they will be adopted 
together. Devon has tested early FIV+, which 
might change to negative later on, but it's not an issue 
as long as he's monitored, as you would with any cat. 
Age 7 weeks. They’ll be ready for delivery by next month, after they're vetted, vaccinated, 
and neu-tered. See more pictures and their cute video at www.lifelineforpets.org. 
Submit your application now as they're sure to be in demand! 

Pet of the Week

 Five-year-old Gia is a sweet cat who’s friendly withpeople, other cats, and polite dogs. Gia is an easygoing 
gal who would enjoy relaxing on the couchwith you and watching birds out the window. This 
beautiful tabby has such a calm disposition andwould make a great addition to your family!

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

 New adopters will receive a complimentary healthand-
wellness exam from VCA Animal Hospitals, aswell as a goody bag filled with information about howto 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. 

FREE FILMS AT SIERRA MADRE PLAYHOUSE: SAVING 
FACE ON JUNE 1 AND CHINATOWN RISING ON JUNE 8

 In connection with its current mainstage production, King of the Yees, Sierra 
Madre Playhouse will present two FREE screenings of motion pictures: Saving Face 
on Wednesday, June 1 at 7:00 p.m. and Chinatown Rising on Wednesday, June 8 at 

7:00 p.m. Admission is FREE, but RSVP is required. 
Admission is FREE thanks to a California Humanities Quick Grant.

 Saving Face. Comedy/Romance. Written and directed by Alice Wu. Produced 
by Will Smith, James Lassiter, Teddy Zee. From Sony Pictures Entertainment. (Color, 
2004, USA, 91 minutes, rated R) Starring Michelle Krusiec, Joan Chen, Lynn Chen, 
Jin Wang, Guang Lan Koh, Jessica Hecht. In Manhattan, the brilliant Chinese-American 
lesbian surgeon Wil is surprised by the arrival of her forty-eight year old widow 
mother to her apartment. Ma was banished from Flushing, Queens, when her father 
discovered that she was pregnant. The presence of Ma affects the personal life of Wil, 
who is in love with the daughter of her boss at the hospital, the dancer Vivian Shing. 
Once her grandfather has promised that her mother would only return to Flushing 
remarried or proving that it was an immaculate conception, Wil tries to find a Chinese 
bachelor to marry Ma.

 Winner- Golden Horse Film Festival; San Diego Asian Film Festival; San Francisco 
International Asian American Film Festival.

 “The picture is nicely cast….Joan Chen registers strongly as the unwed mom 
caught between two generations.”----SF Gate.

 To RSVP for Saving Face, use this link: https://ci.ovationtix.com/35040/
production/1125334

 Chinatown Rising. Documentary. Directed by Harry and Josh Chuck. Produced 
by James Chan. From Caam. (Color, 2019, USA, 85 minutes, not rated) Adocumentary based on Harry Chuck's collection of clippings and period films about 
the issues that motivated members of San Francisco's Chinese American community 
to reject submissive stereotypes.
“A worthy reminder that each community that comprises the pulse of the city needs 
to see itself represented in the structures that govern urban life.”----POV 

To RSVP for Chinatown Rising, use this link: https://ci.ovationtix.com/35040/ 
production/1125336 

Covid-19 protocols in effect on the days of the events will be observed. As of this 
writing, it means that masks are required and vaccination record (card or digital) 
will be required. 

Sierra Madre Playhouse is located at 87 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. in Sierra Madre, CA 
91024. This is just east of Pasadena. There is ample free parking in lots behind the 
Playhouse and across the street. 

For more information about our mainstage show King of the Yees, please go to http://
sierramadreplayhouse.org 

This project was made possible with support from California Humanities, a nonprofit 
partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Visit www.calhum. 
org. 


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