THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, November 20, 2020 Page 11 Malden Today, Tomorrow and Yesterday – “Let’s Throw A Malden Block Party, Part 2” By Peter F. Levine T he 2021 Malden Square block party resumes. Let’s continue to think big. Food will be our other ace in the hole – our Jonathan Papelbon out of the bullpen – our prized restaurants go all alfresco on us for the day! From Ming’s to Mystic Station dining in the open air. Music, people watching and some of the finest chow on the North Shore? I’m thinking sushi and martinis on the sidewalk in front of All Season’s Table. Forgetaboutit! I’m also thinking of inviting food booths to set up farther down Pleasant toward Commercial to ply their wares – as long as they serve up something that already isn’t offered by any downtown restaurants. This way they won’t take action away from the brick-and-mortar joints. Paul Solano and Pearl Street Station show up and lay some of those award-winning steak tips on us? Donut Villa. Come on down! Why not invite Joyce Mover and the St. Rocco Society to open their world-famous food stand? Homemade meatballs, sausages and braciola only $4 away?! Bring the fryolator along and gobsmack the unwashed masses with the best fried dough on the North Shore! Almost forgot – Neal Sullivan from Cornucopia sets up shop and offers his delicious holiday pies (Aunt Bee’s homemade pies on the Andy Griffith Show got nothing on Neal’s). Apple, blueberry, pumpkin, anyone?! You get the idea on the food booths, right? I’m not done yet. We make like the Saint Rocco Feast and allow sponsor booths to be placed throughout the Square. Not to sell cheap, meaningless trinkets like “O’Rourke Enterprises” sold to the “Hekawis”! Get Malden Arts in the mix, along with the Malden Historical Society. Paul Hammersley and his Malden Overcoming Addiction committee members have a booth. They are always welcome. Adam Lucey can offer up some of the innovative artwork he has been working on. Here’s one out of left field – lets invite Dorina’s Psychic Readings on Broadway to the party! Wouldn’t that be a trip? Maybe one of the fine barber shops that are sprouting like weeds throughout the city would be willing to set up a booth and give free haircuts? The exposure to the thousands that show up would be worth the day spent on Pleasant. By the way, I 1940s Philly Block Party (Courtesy Photo) kid about the weeds. We open this up to the public, pick and choose who would be suitable for our goals. But you get the idea about the booths, right? Not done, yet. Let’s continue to think big. How could I forget the plethora of comedians and “entertainers” that now reside in Malden? The well-known and the not so well-known. We put my brother from another mother, world-famous funny man entertainer and hard-core Maldonian Dave “The Entertainer” Russo in charge of this. We set them apart from the music because these comedians, they are a sensitive lot. Goddess forbid there is somebody in the audience who doesn’t already adore them. Oh, the pain! I say that with love, Dave. Alright, I have the perfect locale. City Hall incorporated a spot to the side of the building that is as inviting a concrete jungle as you can ask for: secluded, quiet, spacious with the seclusion that Dave, Paul (Gilligan) and Anthony (Scibelli) yearn for. Dave spearheads this comedy effort. He gets local talent, and if he is as well liked as he says he is then he asks some of his big shot, headliner friends to stop by and do the funny thing for 10-15 minutes during the long day. You in, Dave? Joanne (Codi)? Cannot forget Malden’s media center, MATV/UMA! Hailey, Ronny, Terlonzo “Mr. Around the Rim” Amos, Ann and all the gang do a roving reporter – type thing throughout the day for “duty and humanity.” For Maldonians to enjoy in 2120? Maybe Paul Hammersley can pull double duty? If we ask nicely, maybe he sets up his drone and puts together one of those extraordinary videos he is so famous for? From high up above! “This is the end, beautiful friend, this is the end, my only friend, the end” – Okay, I’m done with my rambling. I don’t think we’ll be ready for such a large outdoor gathering by 2021 with the end of the pandemic not yet in sight. With Biden in charge I feel a lot better, but it may be too soon. If not, let’s shelve it until 2022? But until then, let’s think on a smaller scale... Postscript 1: Peter Tosh’s “Crystal Ball” is in rotation on my CD player (yeah, I know, old-fashioned!). The following lyrics got me thinking: “Lookin’ at your crystal ball, culture man / I say: Lookin’ in your crystal ball, culture man / What do you see, culture man / Tell me what do you see, culture man.” Well, I’m no culture man but I did have some thoughts. Until we get our collective arms around this virus, I see an ever changing, always evolving landscape. My sweet granddaughter Lana, born on Valentine’s Day of this year, will know only social distancing and face masks as she grows. Remote learning will be the norm for her. To Lana, navigating this brave new world will become as routine as ordering the latest gadget on Amazon with her mom’s credit card. Looking into the future, I see the continued practice of outside dining now employed by restaurants, large and small alike. I applaud Malden for loosening up regulations a bit and allowing this practice to take place in Malden. The widening of sidewalks on Exchange Street is a prime example of how this ain’t your grandfather’s Malden. When the needs of Malden business speak, City Hall listens (thank you, Kevin Duffy!). Whether the sidewalks were widened to accommodate restaurants or future restaurants, or it is just coincidental, the intended/unintended consequences are just what the doctor ordered for Malden going forward. Once the makeover of Exchange Street is complete, I see it becoming the little brother to Pleasant Street with all kinds of activity for the young and old alike. “Pop-up” cafes? Culturally themed musical performances every night. A sidewalk/pop-up flea market? Let’s see how this all falls into place. The potential is there. And it’s unlimited. Postscript 2: Speaking of Pleasant Street – take a trip down 1961 Pleasant Street with 13-year-old (former Maldonian via San Diego) Barry Almon: “I fancied myself to be quick on my feet. I had a feeling of pride, because of my fleet feet. “So, let me tell you the story of my first trophy. In 1961 I was one of the fastest kids in my neighborhood! I could run like a deer. I could outrun my sister, the older kids and even the cops! Malden had a once a year road race (varying distances by age groups) starting near Beebe JHS and ending in Malden Square. Sponsored by the American Legion. It was about a mile, for 1112-year olds, along a flat stretch of Pleasant Street. Hundreds of kids entered. Some were track athletes who trained, diligently for this, even had special running gear that was functional and fashionable (for that era). Not me! I owned gym shorts, a plain white t-shirt and Converse low cuts. But I had natural skills! I stood next to a kid with a reputation, Stevie Duggan, at the starting line! I was moderately intimidated by his gear and his reputation, but hey, this was my first race, and I had no clue what to expect, totally naïve! The starter raised his gun, voiced, ‘on your mark, get set’ and pulled the trigger! “Off we go! Seems as if I am surrounded by youngsters all hell-bent on pleasing the street lined spectators, as well as their boisterous parents and siblings! Stevie was really smooth, and fast. But guess what? Even though I had difficulty breathing, I kept pace with this kid with the golden locks and sinewy muscled legs and fancy footwear. We passed the A&P, Liggett’s Rexall Drugs, the Strand movie theater, Sparks, Grant’s, The YMCA, FW Woolworth’s and Jordan Marsh. The race didn’t last long. Stevie, and I, left the masses ‘in the dust.’ And got to the finish line, in record time. In fact, even though I finished a close second, my time was better than the existing record! “Stevie’s smile was abundant, as he accepted a three-foot tall golden trophy. I sauntered up to the podium to accept my modest, in comparison, two-foot tall, silver trophy, adorned with a svelte formed runner on the top! I was extremely proud of this award and the fact that I outran everyone in the city (except Stevie). I walked home proudly, exhausted and ready to share with my mom and dad!”
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