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June is a transitional month, marking (for many) the end of the school year and the beginning of summer recess. On the last day of school, we marked the occasion with a small parade though our neighborhood, led by my wife and my daughter (with our dog Gigi in tow). We bopped to the Ramones's "Rock and Roll High School"; my wife cued up "Limbo Rock" and everyone took turns to see how low they could go.
For every June beginning, there are other endings. By the end of June, the Fast Ferry will resume service, but Donuts Delite, a longtime family favorite, will close after 47 years of operation. The Malleys always delivered a product superior to the lackluster efforts of the now ubiquitous donut chains. When we were expecting our first child, I made frequent trips to satisfy my wife's cravings for their delectable pumpkin donuts and french crullers. I'm sure our kids would gladly surrender themselves to a diet of chocolate-frosted, Bavarian-Cream-impregnated love bombs.
We'll take a few more trips to Donuts Delite before truly saying goodbye. I overheard a waitress say she plans to "eat a donut a day until I'm sick of them; that way I won't be sad about the closing." However, she lamented, she wasn't sick of them yet.
With the Malleys leaving the scene, that leaves the Ridge Donut Café as one of the last real donut shops. When Torontonians disembark from the Fast Ferry, we'll have to shuttle them over there and show 'em what a real donut tastes like.
--- Stan Merrell
Arnett Branch Library Wed, July 6. magician Bill Gormont, 310 Arnett Blvd, 2 p.m. 428-8214
Brighton Memorial Library story times: Mondays 10 a.m. (ages 3-4), 10:30 a.m. (ages 1-2.5); Thursdays 7 p.m. (families) | Thurs, June 30, read a good movie lately? Harry Potter, ages 9-12, 3-6 p.m. | 2300 Elmwood Avenue. 784-5300, www.brightonlibrary.org
Cool Kids Days Fri, July 1. Jay Stetzer: Worlds Full of Stories, Sagawa Park, corner of Erie and Main Sts, Brockport, 7 p.m. Free. 637-3984
Henrietta Public Library Thurs, June 30, comic books, 7-8 p.m. | Thurs, June 30, Faries and Other Magical Beings, ages 5-10, 10:30-11:30 a.m. | Fri, July 1, patriotic craft, 12:30-1:30 p.m. | Wed, July 6, family bingo, 7-8 p.m. | 455 Calkins Rd. 359-7092
Rotary Sunshine Camp Open House Wed, June 29. Muscular Dystrophy Association, 809 Five Points Rd, Rush, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. 424-6560
Summer Food Program through Aug 26 (except July 4). Breakfast and lunch served to people 18 years and younger, at sites throughout Rochester. Free. 428-6896, 325-1440
Summer Institute Thurs, June 30. seminar on the college admission process, St. John Fisher College, 3690 EAst Ave, 9 a.m.-12 p.m. 385-8070
How will our kids ever make it in the future? Some of them will never learn to tie their shoes, opting for Velcro or slip-ons forever. Some won't learn to add or multiply in their heads, using calculators instead. And some will never know the true joy of bowling, because they don't know how to keep score.
We are now well into the new millennium. But I still miss the old one, and keep a few reminders around. I have a rotary phone. I fondly remember getting up to change the channel on the TV, and I also remember the mental workout of keeping score while bowling. Sadly, most kids today only know about push button, cordless, and cell phones. They only know about changing 500 channels with a remote control device. And, perhaps saddest of all, they only know their bowling scores by looking up at computer monitors.
The true pleasure of knocking down ten pins was knowing that your next two balls would count twice. What a great idea. This device could give you hope: just when things seemed bleakest, you could knock down all ten pins and suddenly be in contention again.
The 21st century, following in the steps of the 20th, is all about making things faster, better, and easier. But what, pray tell, are we doing with all this extra time? Maybe we appreciated a show a little more when we had to get up and change the channel. And maybe that 81 in bowling meant a little more when we saw how the pins added up.
--- Lynn Malooly