Imagine El Cajon without Valley Music!

Unfortunately if things don’t turn around pretty quickly, in all likelihood that will happen! As hard as I am trying to make a go of things here on North Magnolia, the economy just will not co-operate, and the clock is ticking. I feel like I am sitting out on a limb that is being sawn off of the tree. Word of mouth can only do so much in letting people know we are here. Even though I informed the schools that we were still in business and in a new location, I only made a couple of the band directors’ lists of places where parents could rent instruments for their children. It’s hard with no money for advertising, and what money comes in goes right back out for bills. My inventory is much smaller, and where I used to order in boxes, now I order in singles.

Our open microphone is doing well, however it doesn’t generate a lot of money for the store, even when I offer 20% off of everything in the store except consignments, sales are pretty slow. The donation bucket at least covers the cost of pizza, water and coffee.

We were hoping to have a benefit to help raise money for the behind rent. But I think we are about out of time.  If anyone has any suggestions, leave them in a comment below, (at least I will know someone is reading this) and I AM listening…….

Friends in Far Away Places

It’s amazing to me how, so many people all over the United States, know about Valley Music Store! When word got out via a couple of articles in the papers and a spot by Larry Himmel on channel 8, That we had been ousted from our long time space on Main Street, I had messages from people all across the country from Washington State to North Carolina!

One such person is a very nice gentleman from Texas, Mr. Kenneth MacDonald.  Before we had to leave the original store, (We were given 60 days to move, but we had to take over 300! It was hard to find and build in another suitable place so quickly!) Mr. MacDonald had contacted me curious about the history of My Father and his connection to Spade Cooley and Tex Williams and about the Music Store. He had heard about the move we had to make from one of the newspaper articles online and after a pleasant conversation asked me if I would accept a small donation. He was going to send me $25.00 if I would take it. I was flabbergasted! And told him how kind the offer was! A very nice letter followed shortly thereafter, and instead of twenty five dollars, he had sent $100.00. I burst into tears… couldn’t believe it. What a wonderful thing he had done! He called again a couple of days later to make sure I had gotten it. I didn’t know what to say. I am not used to such kindnesses. And it was hard to talk through the lump in my throat. Even now, when I think of what a kind soul he is, I start to tear up! He repeated his kindness a few months later. I got another letter from him, out of the blue with another check for $100.00. The next time I spoke with him, I promised to dedicate a wall to him where I would hang the older pictures I had in the store of my Father during his beginnings in his music career. I wanted to hang pictures of him with “Texas” Jim Lewis in the mid thirties, where he got his start and with “Spade” Cooley’s Orchestra in the forties, and later with “Tex” Williams and the Western Caravan. I still plan on doing that, and will when I manage my ‘mobility’ issues!

Mr. MacDonald actually got to come to San Diego a couple of months ago to visit a friend of his. Both he and his friend came by the store and I was pleased to chat with him face to face. He brought me a sheaf of papers he had researched on his passion, country swing music. It was so very thoughtful of him to do that. I showed him around the new store, but I wish he had been able to come out when we were still in the original building! There was so much history there!!

He called me a couple of days ago to tell me his friend had passed away suddenly. I offer my deepest heartfelt sympathies to his family and to Mr. MacDonald.

Where Were You When the Towers Fell?

I was up early getting ready to cook breakfast for my Rotary Club. I was doing some pre-preparation in the kitchen. I had CNN on in the living room so I could hear the news while I was working. My coffee was ready and I poured a cup and stepped into the living room to take a minute for myself before I loaded my car. The news alert came on that a plane had just flown into the North tower and there was the footage of the terrible flames. What a terrible accident I thought, how very surreal!  I awoke my room mate and told her what had happened. She stumbled into the room bleary eyed. She wasn’t a morning person. I started loading my car….slowly, even though I was running late it was hard to look away from the terrible scene on television. It was almost daylight and I was usually on the road by now.. I was stopping in the living room each trip I made to stare in horror at the footage. My car was finally loaded up, but by now, I had a tough time pulling myself away from the television. I had almost succeeded when the second plane hit the second Tower. No coincidence …No accident!  I sat down hard and couldn’t tear my eyes away, but I knew I had to. I was already late. I don’t even remember the drive to the center where we held our meetings. I was in the kitchen trying to fix breakfast and everyone was in the secretary’s office huddled around the radio. I would get periodic updates….. And then the unthinkable happened, the first tower fell!

How could that be? I tried to cook but it was hard to see with the tears streaming down my face. I burned the biscuits and the scrambled eggs were brown. It didn’t matter; no one wanted to eat anyway. The second tower went down and we all stood there crying and prayed. I don’t really remember much of the rest of the day, except that there were two more devastating crashes, The Pentagon and that lonely field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania where the Heroes on the plane took matters into their own hands. We had a television at work and watched the chaos all day until it was time to go home and watch some more.

I think we all knew by then that this was not just a bad dream; our lives would never be the same in America. It was time to grow up!

Now I hear that Mayor Bloomberg has said that there is not enough room for Clergy (of any kind) the fire fighters and first responders at the 10 year anniversary. Not enough room? There was enough room on THAT day for all of those Heroes who responded and died saving those citizens trapped in the building. The first counted casualty was a Priest who rushed to the World Trade Center to minister to the injured and fallen and pray for the city. Mayor Bloomberg…Shame on you!

Just my opinion, but turn of events is as wrong as you can get!

As the 11^th grows near, keep all those who were lost in your hearts. And especially, remember those who were climbing the stairs as the workers were going down. Ten years after the fall, it should still take your breath away…Embrace it and take the time to grieve.

Alan East at Open Microphone August 27th 2011