When my family lived on Haskell Ave. in Van Nuys our downstairs neighbor was a wonderful lady and school teacher named Lucille Flanders. She was exceptionally nice to me which puzzles me considering how loud I used to blast my stereo, a behavior I have not really modified over the years. In spite of my behavior she helped me with school work and even gave me an old World Book Encyclopedia from about 1959. I loved that set of books and only parted with it when I moved back to Ohio. I wish I still had it. It may sound crazy but I can still smell those dusty old volumes.One night Lucille was talking about a restaurant bar she sometimes goes to called The Ram's Horn at 16705 Ventura Blvd. in Encino. She then mentioned that Jerry Dunphy and some of the KNXT newscasters frequented the restaurant. Lucille knew the Big News anchor Jerry Dunphy. Well soon after this Lucille and my parents went to the Ram's Horn for cocktails and dinner. That night that got to meet Jerry Dunphy along with Bill Keane the weatherman. If you grew up in Los Angeles in the 1960's The Big News was the news, followed by Walter Cronkite, who sadly just passed away.
Eventually we moved from Haskell Ave. and lost track of Lucille however my parents would often go to the Ram's horn for a drink and to listen to the piano player whose name I now forget. I went a couple times with my parents and it was nice but at the time a little to sedate for me. Now it sounds like just my speed.
In my photo box I have a picture of Lucille in our apartment for one of my birthday parties. I will have to scan it and post it here. But until then thank you Lucille for putting up with a kind of nice, but loud teenager.
