My crossing with the "Ol'Man", Charles Magel

Photo on the night of Charles 83rd B-day and a perfect night for Henri, Charles and myself celebrating with our favorite, Tofu Charlie Special and Henri's Flambe while watching "Hair"! :)


one sunny day i was sk8ing down the boardwalk in mission. being new to the area and still looking for my place, i passed an old beach bungalow with a vast green garden overflowing it's silver fenceline. i saw the old man with white hair pounding a sign into the garden. the blur crept into my cat side and spun my board into a 180...just to know how much oceanfront living could be. i was already paying 600 in hill crest, which turned out to be the gay capital of san diego, and for a single surfer, the 20 minute commute was long and easily logged my spurt of surf interest into a procrastination of parking, sun going down, cold water...etc. turns out the man was quite charming and brought me to the studio above his abode for a viewing. upon stepping into the golden glistening wood lined, wide windowed hut privately hidden over the rear of the house below with ocean, sun, sky, deck all staring me straight in the eyes, I knew i was home! I'll take it in disbelief of words flowing out subconsciously like i heard it without moving my lips. I made the agreement within the first 10 minutes of posting the vacancy and the next day told my 3 week new landlord in hillcrest that I needed to be by the beach and I would pay any missed rent if their wonderful canyon apartment went abandoned. This is when my life came into present tense and has yet ceased to leave me short of amazed!

Above is a photo of the man (Henri coming in from a surf) that rested below my celebrated ocean filled apartment. I made a bed strung up on cables, and rocking to sleep with the surf in your ears and misty spray on your face was a way of life for 2 years. Charles lived la pura vida as well while living in mission. He now harbors my classic karmann ghia in his pb home a few blocks to the sea. He walks the neighborhood and does yoga to keep his body in shape and is an avid reader and writes to keep his mind sharp. Charles Magel is a visionary, a well respected professor of philosophy, a successful businessman, a vegetarian, a prolific writer and a wonderful person to have in this world. I am proud to know this sage and respect all he has done for the animal rights movement including just one of his many writings: "The Bill of Rights for Animals" linked below http://www.geocities.com/rainforest/2062/bill.html He taught me an amazing dish the first time I had dinner at his place. I've passed on his and now my staple of tamari & soy sauteed tofu with a light breading of brewers yeast and a side of rice. Thanks Charles!