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| Looking for fun on a Monday night |
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| Written by Robin Matteri | The Walkabout | |
| Friday, 11 July 2008 | |
 Robin Matteri I wanted to listen to live music, I wanted to hang out around people, but it was impossible to find any. I headed to Starbucks Coffee to check things out and met four employees who I aggressively tried to recruit for a softball league before heading for the outside patio, praying that these were not the only locals I would run into. 8:47 p.m.: In front of Starbucks, night was falling, and I felt as though I should be scared, but I wasn’t. I wanted to be surrounded by a bunch of people enjoying live music, but I wasn’t. I sat alone until a stranger stopped for a chat. It turned out his name was Steve. As we began our conversation, I asked, quite innocently, “Are you from Patterson?” Steve chuckled and replied, “Is anybody?” At first, I laughed with him and engaged in playful banter about the solitude of the town. Steve assumed the city consisted of the Starbucks, Jack in the Box, two gas stations and a Denny’s. “Oh, no,” I responded and pointed to the lights of the city. “That is Patterson; this is the freeway.” He continued to ask questions about the town, quizzing me as if I were a contestant on a game show. His naivety about rural California was funny. He said he felt sorry for kids in small towns, because it seemed to him they all want to grow up and leave for more exciting cities. I explained the small-town life to him. Told him all about the Apricot Fiesta and how the entire town came together and cleaned up for the weekend. I laughed with him about how it’s impossible to get a hair appointment the week before and how all the residents go shopping for new “fiesta outfits.” I ran down a list of people with countdowns to the fiesta and joked with him about it being the highlight of the year. And then he left. 9:09 p.m.: I sat alone in front of Starbucks, replaying the encounter with this man, when it occurred to me that I was bragging about this city as proudly as I would brag about one of my children. My contact with a total stranger made it clear that I was excited to share Patterson with him. I wanted to continue talking, and I didn’t want him to leave. I wanted to tell him about the apricot orchards and Patterson Frozen Foods. I wanted to tell him about the barber shop and how it’s a local hangout. I wanted to tell him about my family and the other families I’ve met here, and I wanted to explain why I think the Apricot Fiesta is so important. 11:11 p.m.: I was sure I was the only one awake and high on caffeine. But it was perfectly clear now. The Apricot Fiesta is something most people in Patterson look forward to with excitement — excitement equaling unity. It is typically one of the only times throughout the year when the entire town comes together as a family, when people sit together to enjoy the parade or share hay bales while nibbling tasty treats. It’s a time when people feel safe and joyful. It’s a time when all the people of the community feel a sense of belonging, regardless of anything. Everyone comes together and shares something. And that something is the Apricot Fiesta. So, I thank Steve, a businessman traveling home from Los Angeles, for unintentionally enlightening me about people. For making me realize that, while at times it might be comical or boring, Patterson is still home — and we love it. Random encounters on the walkabout Irma! I bumped into her at Blues Café, and she has now joined me in the quest to find fun. She and her daughters were on their own walkabout. My army of one has now grown to two, and I hope it continues. Franklin. Maybe our encounter was not so random, but the mention is still deserved. Thanks for the conversation and the bits of history about the town. You know him. He’s been here all his life. And, finally, Justin and Michael at J & M Barber Shop. A huge thank-you for allowing me to use the shop as a hub for information, softball and humor.
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 written by Jimmy Abuan , July 12, 2008
The title says it all...in addition, every little town should have their own "Robin Matteri."
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Good to see another column from you. Been waiting awhile. Good job. Keep'em coming.
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