Dave's Story

The Webmaster got me re-interested in the Garret this year and I went to the Web site and looked around. The last time I was at the Garret was in 1971. I was in the Navy, stationed in San Diego and about to ship out to Vietnam. My wife's friend, MaryAnn, was starting nursing school in West L.A. and since I went to high school in L.A. she asked me if I knew any good places to go where she could spend time free from the assaults of amorous guys.

I arranged for the four of us (her and her boyfriend, me and my wife) to go on a short tour of L.A. and of course we wound up at The Garret as I knew it was just the place MaryAnn was looking for. Unfortunately my timing was very bad and The Garret had closed a few days before we showed up.

I sat alone in a car full of people crying for the friends I wouldn't see again, unaware for a time of the stares of the three people with me who could not possibly have understood. I was too upset to try to explain why I was so upset. I felt like I had lost a friend but I didn't understand why I felt so bad.

When I came back from Vietnam 2 years later, I understood a lot more about loss but not much more about why. Of course the 30 years have dulled the feelings, but it was still a great thrill to first run into Jerry Hollombe in 1984 and re-establish that friendship and then to find the Web site for the Garret on the Internet this year. I'd love to hear from any of you out there who share memories of Terrea and BJ's place.