Chit-Chat: City woman does tango all over the world!

By: Merle Citron
   Harken, Chit-Chat readers.
   What I’m going to tell you is no fandango. It’s all about a local woman and her love for the tango.
   This gal, aptly crowned with blazing red hair, is Betty Benton, who dances with elegant flair. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
   Betty has lived on North Union Street for 10 years and has taught French in the Neshaminy school district on and off for about 20 years. She plays tennis and takes ceramics classes.
   But it’s the tango that took her heart. It all began innocently enough in Lawrenceville when she took a dance class. That did it. The tango got into her blood.
   "I have tangoed in the Sahara Desert, Istanbul and Buenos Aires," Betty said. "I went to Buenos Aires for a week to learn and to practice the tango."
   Betty then confided, "There is an Argentine tango, which differs from an American tango with feathers. The Argentine version is all about subtleties. It is sedate and danced in a closer embrace. There are no set steps. It is very interpretive, and it’s all about the way you hear the music."
   Rita Neuls and Paul Shepherd went to school together in Lambertville.
   That was almost 80 years ago.
   I recently saw them on Bridge Street, and we stopped to chat. Paul told me he was born in town and feels Lambertville is a wonderful place to live.
   "My wife, Nan, and I have been married for 62 terrific years, and we’ve lived in this area all that time," he said. "Life here has always been nice and quiet. With all the trouble everywhere, there’s no trouble here."
   Rita agreed. She added, "Sixty-two years of marriage is a long time to share life with someone, and I think that Nan Shepherd has always been a great wife. She really has."
   A familiar face in town is that of Carolyn of Carman’s Collectibles, which is located in the People’s Store.
   I was surprised when Carolyn told me she has been selling silver and silver plate items there for more than 20 years.
   "It took me about eight years in the People’s Store before folks from around the area trusted me enough to know that I’d stay in town," she said. "Then they began to buy. During those eight years I did 10 shows a year just to survive."
   Now Carolyn has no complaints about business. She said weekends at the store are great, and they get mobs of people.
   Carolyn is a hard-working woman who commutes from Levittown, Pa., to Lambertville in all sorts of weather. She recalled having had to rent a hotel room in town during some particularly bad snowstorms.
   Ray Kinlock of New Hope is involved as an artist in residence with Rebecca Kelly, who lives in Ringoes.
   Rebecca is a storyteller, and Ray is a visual artist. Ray and Rebecca are working on a project focused around the theme of the Mexican Halloween celebration called the Day of the Dead, which is also a traditional celebration of one’s ancestors.
   Rebecca is using original stories, while Ray is building altars and decorating traditional sugar skulls.
   Ray keeps busy. He is involved with the Concordia Chamber Players. Ray and his partner, Ned Irons, are on the board of directors.
   Ned told me, "The Concordia Chamber Players is made up of musicians, who currently comprise some of the best of the New York music scene. We have two more concerts coming up. One is Jan. 27, which just happens to be Mozart’s birthday, and another concert is April 7. By the way, did you know that Roy Ziegler and Chuck Tarr throw a birthday party for Mozart every January?"
   Sunshine and a balmy autumn afternoon make a perfect combination for bike riding.
   Muncie Russell of Jefferson Street thought so, too. We stopped to chat.
   First, we discussed his always gorgeous garden and this year’s growing season. Muncie then said his work keeps him busy, and now he is traveling more often.
   "However, I don’t have to deal with airports," he said. "I drive, and I do most of my driving around the state of Pennsylvania."
   Edward Winters of New Hope and Eric Rotunno of Pineville were volunteers for this year’s FACT Aids walk.
   This was Ed’s second year as a volunteer for the AIDS walk. Ed has lived in the area for four years and has worked at the Blue Raccoon for two years.
   "Lambertville and New Hope feel like home to me," he said. "I grew up in Easton, and I really enjoy living in a very diverse community."
   Eric agreed and said, "I enjoy small-town living with close proximity to larger cities."
   Eric is a computer network administrator for Quest Diagnostics in Horsham.
   "Even though I enjoy my job, I need to work off more of my energy on Saturday nights," he said. "So, for the last four years, I’ve been a lighting designer at the Cartwheel in New Hope. I think everyone should see what I do. Come for the music and an illuminated kick!"
   Ed and Eric told me last year’s AIDS walk raised $45,000, and they hoped this year’s walk would raise even more money. It did!
   June Kersey of Jefferson Street has a beautiful sleigh bed in her second-floor bedroom.
   I commented about the bed, and June told me her daughter, Sandy, was born in that bed.
   "I gave birth to Lynn in the hospital," June said, "but Sandy was born during World War II when the hospitals were very crowded. Nurses were leaving and going to defense plants. So, Dr. Hamilton, Jim Hamilton’s father, delivered Sandy in this room, in this bed, and the total cost was $35. Vi Faherty looked after Lynn at that time and charged $35 a week. Kitty Holcombe assisted Dr. Hamilton at Sandy’s birth."
   Ladies, this item may be of interest to you.
   Do you recall seeing a good-looking guy who jogs around town, and in the warm weather, often without a shirt?
   His name is Rick Kloss. He’s lived on Delevan Street for the past 11 years.
   Rick is gainfully employed by the postal service. He is a very serious jogger. He is single and currently on my "available" list.
   "I run about 50 miles a week," he told me, "and I’ve been doing that for nearly 21 years. When I don’t run, my day isn’t right. There’s a void. I run about an hour a day."
   I commented running has probably kept him from "going postal."
   Rick replied, "Running is my answer to Prozac."
   He said during the week he gets up at 3:30 a.m., drives to Princeton, and then he runs after work. Rick also enjoys gardening, biking and his sleek, all-black cat, Zoe, who is 11 years old and can be seen out in front of the house every day.
   Whoever built the fabulous whittled sticks fence at the edge of their backyard along the towpath should be heartily commended.
   It is a unique love-filled work of art. Great job, guys.
   And there you have it folks, a little chit and a little chat.