By: Merle Citron
Bravo to Patrick Gallagher of Delaware Avenue, who just received his master’s in business administration from Wharton, and that isn’t an easy feat, especially when you work full-time at Bristol, Myers, Squibb and attend classes at Wharton on the weekend, not to mention the studying involved.
Thus it comes as no surprise Patrick let loose a tad at his graduation. The last day of classes ended with a formal dinner celebration at the Philadelphia College of Physicians.
According to Kit Riley, his partner, "Patrick looked dashing in his tuxedo."
Kit told me Patrick’s classmates, who know him as a serious, hard-working student, were totally unprepared for the Patrick who let it all hang out after dinner.
"He garnered center stage, and I was so proud of him," Kit said. "I’d never seen him quite like this. Patrick got up there and turned into a different person. There he was doing a takeoff on Mick Jagger. He strutted his stuff. He wiggled and danced around the floor as he belted out a song he wrote entitled, ‘Wasting Away Again in After WEMBAville," (Wharton Executive Masters of Business Administration) sung to the tune of Jimmy Buffett’s ‘Margaritaville.’ His classmates loved it. They hooted and hollered with pleasure. What a night, and who knew Pat could move like that!"
Oh, my.
The sun shone gloriously Saturday of Shad Fest weekend, and the warmth encouraged everyone to stroll through the crowds, all except for artist Ray Aklonis of Perry Street.
Ray spent Saturday afternoon perched above the crowd on the corner of Church and Union Streets.
"This is a great location," he said. "I love standing here with my camera and taking photographs of the passing scene. I did the same thing last year at the Shad Festival. I literally have thousands of photographs, which I use as my models for drawing and painting my portraits."
It was obvious he enjoyed people watching and looking for just the right faces.
"I want to be a full-time artist," Ray said, "but for now, I also am a teacher at the Pennington School."
Ray teaches Web design and computer skills.
Pat Mohn and her daughter, Helen, were among those out strolling and enjoying the sun and fun at the Shad Fest.
It was really enjoyable to stop and chat with Pat. We haven’t seen each other in a long time.
Pat said she is going to move to the new senior citizens apartments now being built behind the Eagle Firehouse in New Hope.
"I’d rather stay in Lambertville where I was born and raised, but finances dictate that I move," Pat told me.
Helen said she has lived in West Trenton for the past five years, and she works in Doylestown at Lakeview, an assisted living residence.
Pat never hesitated when she confided, "The residents love Helen, and she loves them."
I’m sure that’s true.
Saturday’s sunshine also touched a local luminary, Steve "Farmer" Williamson as he stood handing out tickets to enter the Standing Room Only beer garden.
Although when Steve saw me, he immediately said, "No comment," he did melt a bit with the warmth of the sun and managed to say, "Every day the sun’s out, I’m happy. Gonna soak it in and soak it up."
Somehow I think Farmer’s chipper mood had something to do with the big crowds filling his beer garden.
Larry Nemeth of North Union Street spent some of his Shad Fest time at the SRO.
He was definitely enjoying himself. Larry told me he still is available, still teaching at Stockton Borough School and still the father of a black-and-white Newfoundland puppy named Moby. It was the dog’s stark white tail that caused Larry to name him "Moby, The Great White Tail."
During the winter Larry went on a couple of great Florida fishing trips, and e is involved in planning a fishing tournament for this summer on Long Beach Island.
"The tournament is held in Beach Haven, and it’s called the second annual Dirty Louie’s Bay Men’s Classic," he said. "I helped my friends run it last year, too."
Larry said the tournament starts Memorial Day weekend, and if anyone is interested in catching fluke, striped bass and bluefish, then give him a call for more info.
Jared Keller and his wife, Kathy Williams, and their greyhounds spent Shad Fest Saturday handing out greyhound rescue literature and encouraging people to pet the dogs.
"Two of these beauties are ours and one we’re taking care of for a friend," Jared told me. "They’re fabulous dogs, and Kathy and I rescued two greyhounds."
"Actually, this is how it really happened," Kathy clarified. "Jared said, ‘I really don’t want to get a dog,’ and I told him, ‘Look, I’m going to win this argument so why don’t we just skip this step and adopt both greyhounds.’ "
And they did, and they’re thrilled.
"We have Samson and Zelda," Jared smiled. "Yes, we did have a Delilah, but she passed away two years ago."
Jared and Kathy are volunteers with the New Hope organization, Make Peace With Animals. They also share life with several cats. Jared is a union plumber who works on large construction projects. Kathy used to sell industrial scales.
"That was very boring," she said.
I recently saw Kathy Berg of Lambert Lane.
Kathy and her husband, Bob, have lived in town for about 15 years. Kathy looks great and has made a wonderful recovery from back surgery.
She is originally from Switzerland, and they don’t call the Swiss "bears" for no reason. Kathy doesn’t let much get her down. When we spoke, she was with her niece, Kathy, who is also from Switzerland and attending school in America.
Congratulations to Lisa and John Allen of York Street on the birth of their first children, a set of twins, a boy named Matthew and a girl named Olivia.
When I saw Lisa, she was holding Olivia.
"They’re very good. All they do is sleep and eat," the proud mom smiled.
Just wait because life as they once knew it is over.
Last week Dominic Mallozzi, assistant branch manager of United Trust Bank, said he lost 18 pounds in three weeks by "tricking my metabolism. One day I eat one big meal, and then for three days I eat little meals. It really works," he explained as I stared in disbelief at his thinner body.
I think only men can trick their metabolisms. I’ve never heard a woman say she tricked her metabolism and lost weight.
Take my metabolism, for example. It is really smart. I’ve played all kinds of tricks on it for years, but I never win.
And there you have it folks, a little chit and a little chat.
