Where do I even begin? Up and at 'em by 7:00 a.m. It's that east coast time zone working in our favor. Let me tell you a little bit about my friend Pam Williams. Pam was a nationally ranked breaststroker who grew up in Alameda, CA. She applied to UC Berkeley and Cal State Hayward. The year she applied for college apparently there were three Pamela Lin Williams who applied and they lost Pam's paperwork over and over again. The Cal State coach Jim DeLacy began to call her and invited her up to Cal State and showed her the smaller class sizes, etc. Long story short, she attended Cal State Hayward and I started one year after her. We met on the swim team. Dad (our dad) was very sick from the moment I began college. I believe I started college Sept 79 and dad was diagnosed with two months to live in March of 80. He lived until January 1981. Pam had recently lost her dad in similar circumstances and we connected immediately. She was a MUCH better swimmer than I was, but that never mattered. It was quite fun as one year Pam, Me, and two other girls won a 400 breaststroke relay in UC Irvine against a lot of schools. That was fun. When dad died, I was calling all the neighbors and letting them know - no problem. When I called Cal State swimming pool to let the coach know I wouldn't be there that day - Pam answered the phone. I told her what was up and she immediately burst into tears. I really didn't cry a lot at the beginning but talking to Pam the tears flowed. I was trying to tell Lisa this a little bit when Pam arrived this morning and the tears just came back for both of us. We both loved our dads and we both missed out by them dying young. Pam took care of me like a sister would all through college. She visited me when I lived at HQ. She writes me three or four times a year minimum even if I don't right back. Every time I go to CA I make sure I see her and she and mom have grown real close throughout the years.
Pam works for as a Director of a Girls Inc. It's a before school and after school program for girls. Almost every Wednesday they have a field trip, except for this Wednesday, so she took the day off. She met us at the hotel and then a shuttle driver took us to the San Leandro BART station. Our ticket was 8.20 round trip to SF. Seems to me we used to go for 75 cents one way when BART first opened. We are about to go thru the turnstile and I say WAIT, I need a photo. Well guess who left their camera card back in the room in the computer? Yes, that would be me. So I got a few photos with my cell phone.
We got off at the Powell Street station and found a wal-greens and I bought a camera card. Funny a cable card ride was 6.00 and a 30 minute wait so we decided to take the street car for 2.00. Down to Pier 39 where the seals are. As the passengers were getting off the street car, Pam saw a friend's son getting off. They were excited to see each other and we got a quick photo of the two of them. We get to Pier 39 and Pam stops us at the Forbes Island Shuttle. You would not even see it necessarily if you were just walking by. There is a phone at the Pier and you pick up the phone (you have to have reservations) and then Pierre comes over in his boat and picks you up and takes you to his island. (Very close to the pier, but an island nonetheless). You'll have to google it. She took her sister there for her birthday when her sister turned 59. She said it was great food and great atmosphere. Definitely on my list for the next time I come out to CA. We decided to eat lunch at Bubba Gumps. We got a table facing the water. Mom and I shared some shrimp dish and Pam got a shrimp dish and Lisa got some hush puppies. The waitress stacked five water cups for us so we could take a photo and I got some photos of the signs hanging in the restaurant. The waitress did some Forrest Gump trivia with us like "What was Forrest Gump's last name?" Gump. Yeah. Lisa got most of them right.
Then we went down to the wharf enjoying the shops and the street entertainers. I wanted a jacket like I bought four years ago and I found one. They were only 19.99 and the one I got four years ago is still in pretty good shape. It can last most of the winter for me unless it gets super cold. We went to Buena Vista for an Irish coffee before we headed back to BART.
We made it back to the hotel, said good-bye to Pam and headed back to the hotel. Lisa and I ran to Safeway and then Horatios and back to the room. It's late now and I can't think of much more witty things to say so bye bye for now.
Patty
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