The Rittenhouse Review

A Philadelphia Journal of Politics, Finance, Ethics, and Culture


Wednesday, July 07, 2004  

PERSONS, PLACES, AND THINGS
Items in the News, Or Not
July 7, 2004

Requiescat in Pacem: Marlon Brando
The Rittenhouse Review on occasion has published separate posts noting the passing of accomplished people, e.g., Mary McGrory, Uta Hagen, Elia Kazan, Althea Gibson, Jack Paar, and Faheem Thomas-Childs. For Marlon Brando, however, I’m just putting the notice in “PP&T.” Call me unmoved. Call me surprised by the effusive outpouring of enthusiasm and emotion. I’m not mocking or anything, I just don’t get it. For those affected by Brando’s decease, may I offer this item from the latest Village Voice.

Random Thought
Nobody comes to Philadelphia. I’ve written about this before, but I still find it interesting. I forget where I heard this line, but it’s pretty funny (I’m paraphrasing here): “Yeah, I know, ‘In the event the title holder cannot fulfill her duties, blah, blah, blah . . .’ That never happens.” Similarly, on December 6, 2003, I posted this: “[I]f the woman behind WOC ever finds herself in Philadelphia, and that like never happens, dinner’s on me.”

Along the same lines, yesterday I was thinking that one thing that makes living in Philadelphia different from life in Washington or New York (both former domiciles of yours truly) is that one never suddenly sees here a friend or acquaintance from one’s past. The number of times, while living in Washington or New York, that I encountered with surprise someone from my past, often in the most unlikely of situations, cannot be counted. Such has yet to happen in Philadelphia. And, do you know, I don’t think it’s a bad thing.

Postscript
Not that anyone would care, but there recently was yet another automobile accident on my block. Nobody died, but in terms of vehicular damage it was no less ugly than the last incident here, and it made me realize, once again, that too many people drive far too fast on this block.

[Note: Additional items may be posted to “PP&T” after initial publication but only on the day of publication, excluding post-publication addenda. Such items, when posted, are designated by an asterisk.]

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