Finding Ulysses

The red kettles are out at the Shur-Save just outside of the village limits of Trumansburg, and now that the Big M is closed down, I pass them by quite often. I haven’t put a donation in for the Salvation Army, however, and I won’t be doing so. Here’s why:

1. I already gave to the Salvation Army - and so did you. The Salvation Army receives most of its funds from the federal government. 95 percent of Salvation Army funds in 2005 were from our taxes. So, almost all those good things you hear about the Salvation Army doing can really be credited to the government. The red kettle portion is a pittance.

2. The Salvation Army has done some things that really can’t be called good works. Discrimination against gays and non-Christians has been a serious problem at the Salvation Army. It’s spent a good bit of money on lobbying the federal government for the right to fire people for no other reason than that they won’t sign an oath of compliance with the religious beliefs of the Salvation Army organization. Jewish and Christian employees, including even a Lutheran minister, have been fired by the Salvation Army for refusing to go along with the organization’s demands for proof of religious loyalty.

3. There are better charitable organizations out there that don’t have the Salvation Army’s history of ethical problems. I’m making a donation to OxFam America instead, because OxFam America is a truly independent organization that doesn’t use its power to try to influence people’s religion, and doesn’t accept donations from the US government or from industries related to its work. 87.5 percent of donations to OxFam America go directly to its charitable programs. Only 3.3 percent of donations is used for management costs. (The remainder is used in efforts to gain more memberships and donations.)

4. I find the bell ringing nag in public obnoxious. I don’t need a guilt trip at the grocery store. I need eggs and milk.

I’m confident that the people standing there ringing the bell by the red kettle at the Shur-Save mean well. The catch is that meaning well and doing well are not the same thing. I don’t mean any personal disrespect to the bell ringers, but there are better ways to help people in need than to put a dollar bill in the kettle.

This morning, I found a glimpse into a bit of Trumansburg’s literary history in the form of Crossing Press. Crossing Press was founded back in 1963 by John Gill, a poet who was living in Trumansburg at the time. The original name of the press was New Books. Crossing Press sounds a bit more interesting, doesn’t it?

Over the years, Crossing Press has published many interesting titles, such as Magic Mommas, Trembling Sisters, Puritans & Perverts and The Women Who Walk Through Fire. Of special local interest was Moog’s Musical Eatery, published in 1978, referring to Robert Moog, of course.

In 1986, Trumansburg lost Crossing Press to Northern California. In 2002, it was bought out by Ten Speed Press.

John Gill died in 1995, and was memorialized in the summer 1996 issue of Poets and Writers by fellow poet Robert Peters, who wrote, “In the 30 years of our friendship I never heard him complain that his work as a publisher, magazine editor, and poet was insufficiently appreciated. I can hear the cheery laugh he’d give over this, changing the subject by pointing out some magical detail in the landscape a pair of gulls over Santa Cruz harbor or the spectacular Trumansburg falls.”

Rumor has it that Christo, the artist of international renown who covered the Reichstag in white, covered coastlines, and put saffron sheets on display in Central Park, has come to the town of Ulysses! They’re saying that, just to the south of the village of Trumansburg, Christo has covered up the new Kinney drugstore in giant white sheets, as is his wont to do.

Christo is usually referred to as a conceptual artist. What’s his concept in covering the new Kinney drugstore here on the outskirts of Trumansburg, I wonder?

Is it a shroud, symbolizing the death of businesses that Trumansburgers can walk to? Does the white plastic perhaps symbolize the uniform, featureless commoditization of small town business that results when big chains buy out small, locally owned stores? Does the airtight seal represent the refusal of Kinney Drugs to pay taxes to the Village of Trumansburg anymore? Perhaps the sheets, separating inside from outside, represent the location of the store just on the edge of the village, placed exactly where the store won’t have to contribute to village life, yet can profit from it.

There are so many possible interpretations, I’m regretting never taking an art appreciation class in college.

Tom Callaghan, former owner of the building in which Simply Red once served meals to Trumansburg, placed the following note here at Finding Ulysses as a comment. I’m putting it here as an opportunity for people to discuss the closing of Simply Red, what they know, what they believe, and what they would like to be.

I certainly don’t know the truth of the matter firsthand. It is clear to me that Sam and Gary Izzo have been welcome contributors to cultural wealth of our community, and they have my regard. I don’t have any grudge against Tom Callaghan either, though, don’t have a stake in the matter.

From Tom:

“Enclosed is a little piece I have ciruclated that fleshes out a few details of which you apparently were not aware. Hope you find it helpful.
Tom

“Simply Reality”:
The Truth About Selling 53 East Main Street
by
Tom Callaghan, the previous owner of
53 East Main Street provides
details missing from or
distorted on the
Simply Red Bistro website.

In January 2006, Ms. Izzo, of Simply Red Bistro asked if I wanted to buy her restaurant business. Apparently, the roles of new mother and proprietor were hard to reconcile.
Simply Understandable.

Already a gainfully employed professional, I declined.
Simply No Thanks.

History: After I bought the building in 2003, I continued to provide Ms. Izzo with rent that was 35% below market. I thought that this would facilitate her getting the business off the ground and keep me from having to scout for a new tenant.
Simply Wrong.

Even though I declined to buy the business, I honored the clause to convey the lease term to another buyer who passed credit scrutiny. Maybe someone wanted a foundering restaurant named after an eighties alt band.
Simply Whatever.

Regardless, I worried about Mz. Izzo’s perpetual ambivalence (she’ll stay open, she’ll close, she’ll stay open, she’ll close, stay open,, close, open, close, AAAAHH!!!..). I thought, “Perhaps it’s not smart to wait and see if Ms. Izzo will renew her lease in November.” I decided to sell the building instead.
Simply Prudent.

I contacted a local real estate agency to discuss options. The agent calculated the price that the building was offered and eventually sold.
Simply Market.

Following the lease terms, I gave the Izzos right of first refusal to buy the building. They declined, making no counter offer, let alone two, as the Simply Red Bistro website claims. Simply Bogus.

Even though she was supposedly closing, Ms. Izzo surmised she might exercise the option in her lease to renew, regardless of sale, 60 days before the original lease expired. Then she decided not to renew.
Simply Enough Already.

The building was listed in the Ithaca Journal Classifieds. Within a week, five parties showed interest at the what the Simply Red Bistro website complains was an “inflated” price., Within another week, two parties were bidding!!
Simply Hot.

The next week, a contract was signed. The sale closed in September. Simply Fabulous.

Apparently, the new owners offered Ms. Izzo the opportunity to remain, and to raise the rent to the $1 per square foot that everyone else in T’burg pays for commercial space.. Simply Free Ride’s Over.

The Simply Red Bistro website reads like Ms. Izzo was driven out of business by a conspiracy to make her fail. Simply Not.

Long and short, Ms. Izzo initiated the building’s sale by saying she wanted to close. After three years of paying the cheapest rent in town, what’s left is…
Simply Dead.”

Trumansburg Winterfest events were cancelled last night due to a stiff breeze, and snowstorms in Illinois. The sky was clear, and the air was warm as I took my kids up and down Main Street, it’s true. No need for a coat. However, I do have to admit that my hair was messed up a bit by the wind. Serious stuff.

Some businesses went on with their events. The bank, for example, had a good crowd to watch a magician who worked with a genuine bunny rabbit. Other businesses didn’t bother to do anything special. A few weren’t even open.

Rumors of winter weather shut down Winterfest? We’re supposed to be celebrating winter, not running from news of its arrival.

Crowds were sparse on Main Street last night. Will people turn out tonight, or will the storm arrive a day late and send us scattering?