SHEsaysWITHaSMILE.blogspot.com

orig post  5/13/09:

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 i remember the first time i i-spied this dinosaur in pleasanton

and how excited i was to tell my kids.

-how excited they were when i drove them down e. angela real slow

the huge "wows!" when they spotted him, and realized, "there really is a dinosaur in pleasanton!"

and can't count the times we drove friends/family/cousins down e. angela so they could get a look too

how funny it was when i made conversation with this stranger at my local coffee shop, -was telling him about this cool dinosaur on e. angela

and found out the stranger i was talking to was THE ARTIST WHO SCULPTED THE DINOSAUR!

ken farkash!

how kind and generous he was to then give us all a tour of his backyard, his studio, and introduce us to runna-jumpa-saurus-rex up close and personal

and how wonderful to get to add and count this sculpter as our friend. -how much i enjoyed the short but always fulfilling passerby conversations that would take place when we crossed paths in downtown pleasanton -ken, never without his sweet dog jacques by his side

and for nearly three years, we always included e. angela in our driving route, even if it meant going the long way somewhere, because we so enjoyed getting a passing glace at runna-jumpa-saurus-rex

and then

and then a few months ago, when we drove down e. angela, runna jumpa saurus rex was gone

gone!

the entire studio working area in the backyard cleared out to nothing; vacant and lonely and heartbreaking

where did our friend go? -he never said anything. i had no idea.

and then i spotted him, the way you can spot a missing friend, in downtown pleasanton one day, and i pulled my car over real quick to catch up to him and say hello.. ask what happened

and it turns out he is fine, most importantly, and that he's moved to berkeley, and he is living in a more artist-friendly/supportive environment; continuing his work

and so we are very glad, ken, that you are doing well

but want you to know that we miss you here. miss seeing you around. we miss you, and we miss jacques, and we miss runna jumpa sauras rex

feels a little empty and boring in places you once filled with creative life, smiles and spark.

and i have it in my heart, in my mind, -that you all belong here and will return one day

and pleasanton will be an even better, even more magical city, once you do

with love,
sandra, taryn, jack, karin, matthew, sarah, our friends, our family, our neighbors.. on and on..