NANCY GARDELLA

508-693-3308

(vhavenvgazette@yahoo.com)

Put this column down immediately and get a pen, postcard, or note card if you are a friend of Johnny Seaview’s, a.k.a Oliver Perry. Thanks to a letter David and Eleanor Stanwood had in last week’s Gazette, I have now located this dear old friend of mine. Johnny (write Oliver Perry on the envelope), is at Glen Ridge Nursing Care Center, 90 Hospital Road, Malden, MA 02148-3517. The telephone contact is 781-395-0395. Who can forget the years of entertainment we had when Johnny Seaview was the bartender at Loretta Balla’s Seaview Lounge? In fact, who can forget Loretta Balla, who died this year, the sweetest lady? After the famous Seaview closed, I could drive down to Cumby’s in the morning looking for Johnny, if I or a neighbor needed a tree cut. Every trip with Johnny in the car was a truckload of wonderful stories. He was as famous for his hat as for walking around town every morning, bringing flowers — no doubt swiped from passing yards — to his favorite ladies at the bank, the Thrift Shop, and Cumby’s. His many kindnesses will never be forgotten. I remember a client who sold her Island home and moved near Boston, calling me, trying to reach Johnny, because she had a tip on a horse and wanted to discuss it with the expert. Once, when I saw Johnny hitchhiking and pulled over to pick him up I was crying about something. He reached into his backpack and brought out, not a bouquet of flowers, but a gift-wrapped box of candy. Send him a note, toute de suite.

What am I, chopped liver? I have had the same telephone number on Island for 32 years. Yet, all my friends have been calling asking if I received the recorded reverse 911 message warning me about the storm. No, I didn’t. Emergency personnel, please note my telephone number at the top of the page.

The Louisa Gould Gallery at 54 Main street hosts its last reception of the high season tomorrow night from 5 to 7 p.m. Vineyard Abstract Point of View is the subject portrayed by fine abstract artists Roberta Gross, Tobias Allen, Ed Cohen, Margo Ouellette, Marsha Staiger and Gloria Scher. The exhibit will run through Sept. 16.

In other related art matters, Holly Towles’s son, Stokley Towles of Seattle, Wash., and our town, has another exciting project. Trash Talk: The Social Life of Garbage directed by Bret Fetzer will be shown at the Shoebox Theatre on Capitol Hill in Seattle from Sept. 9 through Sept. 11 as well as following weekend dates. If you are out that way pick up your tickets at brownpapertickets.com/event123021. To see an excerpt from Mr. Stokley’s previously published work, visit stokleytowles.com/waterlinesvideoshmtl. He is always energetic and interesting.

The new fire museum at the Oak Bluffs Wing Road fire station is holding an open house tomorrow, Sept. 4, from 3 to 5 p.m. All are welcome; I’ll see you there.

Jim and Pam Butterick are opening their home on Sunday, Sept. 5 at 359 Barnes Road in Oak Bluffs. No admission is required to enjoy An Evening of Music at 6 p.m. featuring the trio of John Gorman, Jan Hyer and Matt Pelikan. The backdrop of a Vineyard sunset over the Lagoon will be accompanied by wine and hors d’ouevres. They hope you will make a generous donation for the restoration of the Hook and Hastings pipe organ of the Federated Church. Call 508-939-0335 for more information. I’ll see you there.

The Mansion House continues with free Sunday night workouts at 5:30 p.m. Peripatetic director of fitness, Brenda Wallis, says the program was so successful it will be continued into autumn. Members and nonmembers are welcome.

The Friends of the Vineyard Haven Public Library are sponsoring their annual 5K run/walk for the library on Sunday, Sept. 12. Online registration closes on Sept. 9 at needtorace.com. Registration forms may also be picked up at the library’s front desk. This year there will be a kids’ fun run that starts at 9:45 a.m. Registration is at the library at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday. The 5K is a walk/run to the West Chop Lighthouse and back. Prizes and a raffle are on the program. I’ll see you there.

The birthday bandwagon pulls along Gabrielle Jobert, Judy Bitgood, Tessa Grant, Leigh Anne Searle, Christine Geddis, and Stuart Bangs today. Sept. 4 is shared by Chelsea Leigh Mercier and Tyler Mayst. Sept. 5 is claimed by Stephanie Knight and Leda Giatti. Sept. 6 shines for Janet Stiller and Arthur Bailow. Sept. 7 is for Lynda King. And on Sept. 8 Kate King takes the cake. Many happy returns.