Opinion May 17, 2017

Read the latest letters to the editor here.

BOOK OF PETE?

Thank you Steve Kettmann for honoring Pete (GT, 5/10). I wish I had known him. I want to read more of his poems. Will there be a book published?

Jodi Behrens, La Honda

This is the number one question I’ve been asked in the last week. I am told there has been a lot of interest in a book since the story came out, and the possibility has not been ruled out. We’ll keep our readers up on any developments. — Editor

MOVING PORTRAIT

I was deeply moved by Steve Kettmann’s account of his relationship with the late poet Peter McLaughlin, and gratified to see Good Times generously allot space to Pete’s work. I had many opportunities to hang out informally with Pete and talk about writing, politics, sports and his poetry, and I was floored by the brilliant humor and relentless honesty in his work. Pete was genuinely bedazzled by Steve’s attention to his work and even though, to a poet, there is nothing more coveted than a willing and eager publisher, Steve turned out to be much more valuable than that. He was a loyal and stalwart friend to a guy who was never quite sure he was worth befriending.

Wallace Baine | Santa Cruz

OUT AND BACK

Pete was a most extraordinary person. I knew him as a runner who refused to run in a circle. If he was going to run, it had to be an “out and back.” So we would run out to Blackberry Falls, or do laps to the gate at Pogonip and back. He used to ride his beautiful road bike a long time ago, which now hangs on the wall at his house. He hadn’t ridden it in years, but he liked looking at it with something like regret, but that’s not quite it. No matter how many times I tried to get him to take it down, he just shook his head, and that was that.

He was also a trumpet player. He used to go out to the lighthouse at the harbor or to a special place on West Cliff to serenade the sea. He was a regular at Bocci Cellars the same night every week, but I can’t remember which. And let’s not forget he liked the NYT crosswords.

I’ve never met anyone quite like him … but I do understand that thing about the phone.

Julie Bramlett | Santa Cruz

ONLINE COMMENTS

Re: Peter McLaughlin

Thank you for posting this. It is beautiful and it made me cry. I didn’t know Peter, but I feel like I know him a little now and I love his poetry. Is there any way to read more of it?

— Maria Alfaro

Found this by accident, Steve, and enjoyed it so much. Thanks to you, I feel as if I know Pete and maybe even you a bit. Good people, both of you. And now I’m going to go to bed because it’s 5 o’clock in the morning, for pete’s sake—and for the real Pete’s sake, I’m gonna pray that now he’s safe in heaven, Pete’s happy ever after.

— Pat

I didn’t want the article you wrote to end. I want to hear more about Pete, I wish I could read more of his poetry as well. I hope someday I can. Thank you!

— Thia Tsuruta

Steve, You captured my brother beautifully. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

— Daniel McLaughlin

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INSIDE LOOK
The Santa Cruz Department of Public Works will host lunchtime tours of some of its projects between Tuesday, May 23, and Thursday, May 25. City officials will show interested citizens around the Branciforte Bicycle Pedestrian Bridge Project, the Measure H Overlay Street Paving Project and the Eastside Alley Sewer Project. For more information, visit cityofsantacruz.com/publicworks or cityofsantacruz.com/calendar. Or email questions to jb*******@*************uz.com.