Remarkable People & Places

JERRY. The Handless Mechanic.

Those who have so long seen the sign: "Jerry's Garage" @ Gower Street just South of Hollywood Blvd., may now have only a fleeting chance to so do, and to entertain recollections of that special person, who defied all present concepts of handicap to create, manage, and service autos in his shop.

In early 1942, when I, a naive adolescent, first visited his shop in need of a muffler for my first auto a '34 Ford, I was astounded to see a mechanic working on an auto in the hydraulic lift pit. He lacked hands!!! Both hands had been severed at the wrist!!!

Whilst awaiting repair attention, I quietly questioned his employee, a grizzled veteran, awaiting his next instructions from his boss. He looked at me, with mingled scorn and pity for my condition: i.e. a young twit,& total novice to the real world....and put me in my 'place'...I've mercifully forgotten his brief but pungent remarks as to my 'condition'.

My work order was a wonder to observe, & the satisfaction of the ordinaries of complex mechanical repairs kept the shop most reputable.

In the early '80's I had occasion to visit the garage on a community matter, and his successors remembered him and his eventual pleasant retirement in the Midwest. In a more recent visit, tho, no institutional memory of him remained. But memories were validated by the old pit and lift unchanged over some 60 years..

Evermore, this past, is inconceivable to contemporaries, who gently regard my experiences, as post-senile. "A handless mechanic?" You're kidding or nuts.

But friends, just as 'Jerry' was ordinary to the 1940's; he is still representative of our outer world where men & women strive, '& cope, despite extreme odds against them..

To me, 'Jerry' evidenced the consummate victory of an indomitable will to serve & survive, despite all horrendous odds. And, outside of our 'insular''world'; all else happily confides that his indomitable spirit is the most common to mankind..

Friends: it is far past time to celebrate & encourage such as he.

Our cinematic'Walk of Fame' is terrific, sure. but terribly topical in concept.

We desperately need a venue for personal membrances of past civic virtue, labors & achievements, celebrating the virtues of devotion to our commonwealth.

What de heck is to stop us from creating a: "Walk of Fame' of our great neighbors who have labored so greatly in our Old Hollywood....and, allowed us our current public 'civility' opportunity... We have aplenty of street sidewalks to decently imprint our respect for their unique and laudable presences.

Count me in as the first contributor to such a fund..