Hi everyone and welcome to another exciting and thought provoking issue of this

bi-weekly newsletter, The CORNERSTONE TRAVELER.  Also available online at www.cornerstonetraveler.com.

To all my readers I am sorry this newsletter is a week late.  I again had a problem with New York DMV. The people at the DMV are so inept that they have no clue on how to run their department.

mid-Hudson Valley news:   Now that the county fairs have ended in the Hudson Valley, there is not much to write about here, I am sorry to say.

There was the 157^th march of the Middletown Fire Department on Saturday.  This parade/procession of the Middletown Fire Department was to commemorate the founding of the Middletown Fire Department, most likely by volunteers in Middletown.

I still want to attend the Renaissance Fair in Tuxedo NY on Saturday.  If it’s anything like the previous Renaissance Fairs I have attended, it will be fun to see all these people dressed up in medieval costumes.  I will go as my normal self with shorts and t-shirt and with my ever resent cane.

 

sports:  The Jets lost to the Bengals on the first week of the NFL season, but beat the Bills this past weekend.

The Giant beat the Cowboys in the first week and also beat the Saints this past weekend.

MLB:  The Yankees are in 4^th place in the Eastern Conference of the American League with a record of 78-72 and are 4 games back.

The Mets are in 2^nd place in the Eastern Conference of the National League and are 8 games back with a record of 80-71.

 

observations:  I have decided that I am tired of writing of Donald Trump’s half assed comments.  They just prove he has the personality of a pissed of Rottweiler and is morally bankrupt or at least morally bi-polar.

I did read in the AARP magazine on how Oliver North defended his actions of selling arms to Iran and using the profits for the Contras of Nicaragua.  He insists he will not involve President Reagan by claiming Semper Fidelis (always faithful).  He was faithful to President Reagan, but being faithful to the American People.  Which is more important?

I firmly believe that any arms sold to Iran that were used to kill American people and/or our allies should be used as a means to try Oliver North for treason.  The Contras be damned!

For my readers of the hard copy of this newsletter, I am sorry it is a few days late, but I had a trouble with the idiots of the New York DMV who are imcompent fools.

 

 

other:  as with all previous issues of the newsletter, everything printed here is either copyright protected or copyright pending.

The history of P&G’s follows this newsletter from 1930’s to almost the present.

The story that follows this history is part II of the short story first printed in the last issue, called The PACK.  I hope you like it.

Thank-you  -  Rik McGuire

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

History of P&G’s continued to the present

 

From 1925 – 1945 a number of diverse businesses occupied the building.  These included Carols Clothing Store (1937), Atkins Drug Store (1938), Schaffert Real Estate Office (1943), and Dicks Bar and Grill among others.

In 1947 Dicks Bar and Grill was purchased by two Lake Mohonk employees, Pat Cafferty and George Jayne.  Legend has it that neither told their wives of their intention to purchase the business.  They immediately changed the Grills name to Pat and Georges.  Among it loyal customers it was simply P&G’s.

One of the best things to happen to P&G’s occurred in 1961.  An ex Dodger player named Stormer Nickerson became a bartender.  Stormy as he was affectionately known became something of a legend.  His heart, quiet good humor and generous spirit made P&G’s the one place that welcomed all from the harsher outside world into a refuge for college students, business people, local characters and even for a while, in the 1960’s, bikers.  According to one source.  “They weren’t as rowdy a crew as you might expect because although he was quiet, Stormy commanded and got respect.”  His professional baseball background made him a natural to pitch batting practice for the New Paltz College teams and he did so for a number of seasons.  One college fraternity considered P&G’s their private domain.  The scene of everything important, news, views, camaraderie and especially humor was always evident at P&G’s.

After the St. Helens volcano erupted and news reports discussed the possibility of ash fall out across the U.S., Stormy came to work to find the staff dressed in garbage bags and metal kitchen colanders on their heads.  Since no ash was reported on anyone Stormy reasoned the attire had been affective by making everyone laugh their ash off.

 

In June 1991, after 30 years, Stormy retired from P&G’s.  He died in June of 1994.  From his casual humor that lingers, to his Chile recipe that is still served and the kind memories often repeated by his many friends, Stormy is still here.

In 1969 Edwin Beck bought P&G’s.  His first weekend as owner was completely successful.  The following weekend, however, the place was deserted.  A disheartened Beck couldn’t understand what he had done to alienate everyone so quickly.  He was relieved to learn it was simply a matter of poor timing.  Everyone was away and wallowing in a farm in Bethel NY.  A music festival or something.

Ed Beck never spent time worrying.  He looked across Main Street and up Platekill Avenue, seeing thousands of thirsty college students who, for the most part remained on campus.

Taking a good supply of liquid refreshment, Beck went to the campus and gave the students (all legal in those days) a new place to call home.  He transformed P&G’s from a neighborhood bar into a local institution.

The face of Beck’s personality had much to do with the continued success of P&G’s, the place was fun.  One oft quoted story about Beck concerns a young P&G’s enthusiast who wanted to be just like Beck when he grew up.  It is reported that Beck in all humility replied.  “Well you can’t do both.”

The name Pat and Georges was officially changed to P&G’s in the 1980’s by Ed Beck and his son Mike.  In 1985, Mike bought out his father’s interest.  In 1994, he undertook extensive renovations, making the building exterior appear as it did in 1900, when it was the Casino.

 

 

 

 

The wolf’s lair

 

The war in Europe turned out to be a long and deadly affair with the madman who controlled his army in Germany.

Max and Vincent were lying on the ground of the lair, trying to rest after their repeated efforts to bring balance into the world.  But the madman was insistent on proving the superiority of the master race in Germany.

Max and Vincent had infiltrated the upper command of the Fuhrer’s generals as just friendly German Sheppard dogs.  Though they learned a lot, they could not fathom how to stop the madman.  Even the Alpha Queen could not figure a way to bring the end to the madman.  She was a shape shifter like Max and Vincent, but because of her advanced age she seldom used this ability.  She was over nine hundred years old and her age was showing on her body, Max and Vincent knew she was not long for the world and wondered who would take the reins of the lair when she died.  They thought that their three hundred years was too young to be Alpha leaders.  But who else could take command of their lair?

The Alpha Queen rose from what appeared to be slumber and asked.  “What have you learned in your five years of infiltration of the madman’s generals?”

Max growled. “We have learned that he is not as easily defeated as past tyrants we have confronted.”

The Alpha Queen nodded.  “So what are your future plans?

It was Vincent’s turn to answer, growl.  “We are unsure.  We do know of a group of lower officers, a German resistance, in his army that is planning for his assassination.  But so far it is only in the planning stage.  And both Max and I don’t think they will succeed.”

 

“Why not” She asked.

Max was the first to answer.  “Because we have managed to listen to their plans and efforts as pet dogs to these officers.  And they are afraid of any repercussions if they should fail.  And besides Himmler’s SS have become more and more proficient in their jobs.  This SS faction is a problem.  There have been several attempts on the madman’s life and they all ended in complete failure with the culprits being executed painfully.

Vincent added.  “These young officers are on the lines during battle and they see better than the generals and the madman that this German army has no hope for victory.  And they see the madness of their leaders mind set.  To defeat the combined armies against Germany, they know this cannot happen.”

“So What are we to do” The Alpha Queen asked.

Max growled first.  “We are unsure.  It seems the balance has been shifted too far on one side and we do not think we, alone can bring it back into balance.”

“You have to!”  She commanded.  “I am not long for this world.  But I want to leave it with everything being in balance.  Do you understand?”

“We will do our best.”  Max. and Vincent agreed as they left her lair.

They padded down the tunnel from her lair slowly.

“She is right.”  Max said.  “I can smell it as you can that she is not long for this world.”

Vincent nodded.  “Yes.  I agree.  But I can’t think of what more we can do.”

Max stopped thought then said.  “Why don’t we shape shift into German officers and try to convince the plotters to carry through with their efforts.  And even volunteer to do their bidding. We can never be caught.”

They were able to artfully procure German officer uniforms with the proper papers and ingratiate themselves with the plotters against the Fuhrer.  It was a long and time consuming process before they were able to gain the confidence of the plotters.  But they knew patience.  They learned this ability in their three hundred years.

As they became more and more accepted with the plotters group.  They gave suggestions on how best to bring the fuehrer down.

 

Hitler’s den

 

Himmler knocked lightly on the door to the fuehrer’s office, den.  He found him seated in a chair rubbing the heads of the two dogs that showed up suddenly and unexpectedly at the Wolfs Lair gate.  Himmler knew that the fuehrer had become very attached to the two mutts.  So he only stood at rigid attention in front of the fuehrer and snapped a straight arm Nazi salute.

Hitler only nodded then asked.  “What have you learned of the attempts on my life?”

Himmler could only stammer.  “We have learned that the leaders of an attempt on your life are line officers who are directing our troops in battle.”

“Can you replace them?   Then bring them to trial and execution?”  Hitler asked.

Himmler shook his head.  “We are unsure of who the real culprits are and we would have to bring every line officer in for questioning which could devastate our troops in battle.”

“What are your plans?” Hitler demanded.

 

Himmler shook his head.  “I have my best SS investigators questioning everyone and as

of yet they cannot point a finger at any one or two people.

Hitler turned to his desk and slammed his fist down on it with more force than Himmler thought he was capable of.  “Damn it!  We should have executed Rommel publicly to show my authority over people’s lives.”

Himmler shook his head.  “We all agreed that a public execution of Rommel would have been a public relations nightmare.  We were all well aware of how well Rommel was thought of by the troops.  We would have lost the troops loyalty and we knew that could not be allowed.  Especially now with our losses being an almost daily event.”

While Hitler and Himmler talked, Max and Vincent laid their heads down on their outstretched front legs.  They would occasionally turn their heads to each other and smile a quiet snarl.  They knew that the madman was becoming more and more frustrated with his army’s failure to bring about a victory in the war.  They knew he was devastated by the Nazi army’s failure in Russia.  They were bothered that the madman wasn’t concerned with the losses of men in his army, but rather more concerned with his image as a world leader.  They and he knew it was becoming less and less popular with each passing day.

When Max and Vincent were on occasion able to scamper away out of the lair, they took advantage of their solitude by agreeing that the madman was making their job that much easier to bring the world back into balance.

They learned that there had already been several attempts on the fuehrer’s life and each attempt had ended with the execution of the would be assassins.  Even one of the fuehrer’s top

 

generals, who had been so successful in Africa was one of the officers who thought the madman

should be brought down.  Rommel was forced to take a poison so that his family would live.  Rommel agreed to this, being the faithful officer and family man that he was.

Max and Vincent knew it would be their responsibility to bring the fuehrer down.  And they eagerly volunteered their services.

They had used their shape shifting ability as dogs to sneak into the fuehrer’s lair and dispatch him.  But before they could do anything the madman had moved himself and his entourage to another hideout where he could protect himself from assassination from his troops.

They tried again and again, but the madman had an evil protection so that he would move or leave at a moment’s notice just minutes before they could carry out their assignment.

Max and Vincent were becoming frustrated with their efforts to stop the madman and bring balance back to the world.  As was the Alpha Queen when they reported to her regularly.

Finally it was decided that they should sneak into his latest hideout, the Wolfs Lair, a fitting name they thought and dispatch his mortal essence.  There they thought to shape shift as scraggly and starving German Sheppard mutts into the madman’s hideout where they could figure out the next step in their assassination attempt.

The fuehrer took a liking to the scraggily mutts and fed them regularly.  They were happy with the arrangement and no longer felt the need to report on their progress to the Alpha Queen because they knew they would be successful in their attempt to kill the madman.

And as it turned out they didn’t have to do anything because they knew he had lost his attempt to have the German master race control the world.  He was that bothered that his army had been defeated by the combined forces of other nations.

He and his defacto wife hid in one of his bunkers and committed mutual suicide.

Max and Vincent immediately reported to the Alpha Queen of the demise of the madman.  When they got to her lair they were immediately shocked at how old she looked.  They knew she was nearing the end of her days, but they were still shocked.  It had only been just over a year since they last reported to her in their efforts to bring balance into the world and they couldn’t believe at how much she had aged in that short period of time.

“So the madman has been eliminated and his fanatics captured or scattered into the wind.  What will you do next?”  She rasped hoarsely with a growl.

Vincent spoke, growled first.  “We thought to be there when the Allies who defeated the madman liberate the camps he used to imprison and essentially murder the so called undesirables in the German society.”

“What will you do there?”  She asked.  “And do you think your efforts will have of any aid to these people”

Max answered.  “We really don’t know.  But we have to be there to help these people because there is still an imbalance in the world.”

The Alpha Queen nodded.  “I know.  I have felt it also.  Just do the best you can because you will both will be needed when I leave this world.”

“But. . . .”  Both Max and Vincent protested.

The Alpha Queen shook here head.  “No buts.  I have been on this world for a long time and it is almost time for me to leave and ascend to the next level of consciousness.”

“But who will lead our lair?”  Max asked hopefully.

The Alpha Queen could only smile.  “I know the two of you can figure this dilemma and

choose wisely.”  She demanded.

“Of course.”  Both Max and Vincent growled as they bowed and left her lair.

“What are we to do now” Vincent asked as they padded down the tunnel to the wolf’s lair entrance.

“We go to the camps and help all those who have been freed so they can continue to exist.  We will use our natural abilities to help clothe and feed these poor people who have suffered at the hand of the madman.”

Vincent could only nod his grizzled muzzle in agreement.  “Yes. I do suppose that is what we should do.  But what of the Alpha Queen?  Should she pass while were gone, what will happen to our pack”

Max could only shake his head.  “We leave it to the rest of the pack to decide.  What else can we do?  And we do trust the others in our pack, correct?”

Vincent could only nod.  “I guess you are right.  So now we go to the camps”

“Yes.  And immediately.”  Max answered.  “I have the uncanny feeling that the people released will be needing our assistance so we must leave now.”

They left their liar to go to the nearest camp being liberated by the victorious troops and they were stunned by what they saw.  They couldn’t believe man’s inhumanity against man.  They knew instinctively that this inhumanity of man against man was what really brought about the imbalance in the world.  And now it was correcting itself with the release of these emaciated and near death prisoners.

They shape shifted themselves to appear as allied soldiers of the troops liberating the

camps.  They took it upon themselves to almost carry out the surviving prisoners of the camps.  As they did this both Max and Vincent shook their heads at the emaciation of the freed prisoners.

“We have to help them get fed again.”  Vincent said to Max.

Max agreed.  “The victorious Allies are doing a very good job of feeding these people.  Though the little children look worse than all.  I don’t know how much food that I have given these children.  It is heart breaking to see them almost inhale food that they were denied for so long.  How could anyone have allowed children to starve because of the wishes of that madman?”

“Yes.  And what of the camp guards?  I have learned that many of these guards escaped to surrounding towns and villages when they accepted that they had been defeated.  What should we do about them?”  Vincent asked.

Max could only nod.  “We find them and bring as many as we can to justice.  And maybe even use our werewolf selves to scare then into surrender.  What else can we do?”

Vincent nodded his shaggy head.  “First we finish here then go to other liberated camps and bring aid to them.  And maybe we can learn where those sadistic guards escaped.  What else can we do?”

Max thought then said.  “We could go to the Alpha Queen and ask for her guidance.”

Vincent shook his head.  “That would take too long.  We have to remain away from the lair and aid those that need our help.”  As agreed, and they kept themselves as shape shifted soldiers until they thought they had done all that they could at the camp then shape shifted into their natural selves, wolves, and sprinted to the next liberated camp.

 

As allied soldiers they had dinner at a local tavern, café and were amused when they saw the Himmler SS officer working as a dishwasher and cleaner.  The same SS officer they had met years earlier in the small village where everyone cowed at his appearance.  Now he was cowed by the barking orders of the café owner,   He bowed sheepishly to each command.  They almost laughed when they saw how things had changed so much in the new Germany.  They could only smile when they saw the madman’s officers reduced to menial jobs only to survive.

One night as they lay in a barn as their natural selves, wolves, they heard the howl of the wolves in the forest.  They knew immediately it was a message to all wolves that the Alpha Queen had died.  They turned to each other and asked.

“What do we do now?”

The next morning they sprinted to the lair to pay their last respects to the Alpha Queen.