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Within PV
Meet the Cat Whis-PuRR-er
By Linda Bama Brasseal
Since I began to volunteer at the PuRR Project last year, I’ve noticed
that we seem to get a lot of ladies who want to visit the shelter… and yes,
the occasional husband, too! But by and large, it’s ladies and kids who
seem most interested - with one notable exception: Dave.
Every week, rain or shine, Dave drives out the long, dusty road to the
little shelter in the middle of cornfields and Brahma bull corrals. He parks
by the front gate and an amazing thing happens. The cats KNOW he is
there and run to meet him. Mainly he spends time with the adult population
that roam free in the shelter. He knows everyone else that visits will spend
most of their time cuddling and playing with the cute kittens in the nursery
and the teenagers in acclimation. But it’s the older and yes, sometimes
scruffy and scarred and wary old tomcats and abandoned mama cats that
he seeks out… or I should say, seek HIM out.
Here is a recent day in his own words:
Julie, after feeling less than great all week, cabin fever hit so I went to
see the “kids” yesterday. When I got to the gate my “son” Macho was
waiting. After I got inside and picked him up, my “posse” started showing
up. It is amazing how quickly they know I am there and sitting in my chair.
I ended up with a black cat on each leg, Macho on his chest spot, a black
& white moo washing my neck and ear, with assorted others trying for a
spot – that is until my guard cat showed up (Fluffy the blue-eyed pretty
girl). She put everyone in their place.
Macho actually went to sleep on my chest, with his head on my shoulder.
He was one happy boy with about an hours time actually on me. I walked
around for a while to give attention to the cats who do not come to me.
(Well it was more tried to walk around with the herd at your feet and a
small bowlegged cat trying to get on your head!) More and more of them
will now accept my touching them. There are so many cats there that would
make good companions if they just had a chance. They are so affectionate.
Well, then it was time to take my tired self home…..after Macho got one
more pick up….he never gives up!. It was a good day.
Dave
If you would like information on how to Virtually Adopt one of our cats
like Dave’s “son” Macho, please contact shelter administrator Julie Bunker
at julievallarta@gmail.com. Or sign up for a Thursday visit by contacting
Nicole Martin at nicole.martin@prurealtypv.com
6 www. .com March 12 to 18, 2011
Mary Margaret
(“Silver”)
Alexander Killen
(1921 – 2011)
Silver was one of the souls who
gave Vallarta its character. She
referred to Puerto Vallarta of the
60’s and 70’s as the “fishy little
sleeping village”.
Many know Silver for her house
in Conchas Chinas, which she
referred to as the “Beach House”.
There, she rented rooms (like a
B&B) - with a colorful roster of
past guests that included Xaviera
Hollander (a.k.a. the Happy
Hooker) and Perry Ellis. It still
operates under the same name,
Quinta Maria Cortez (QMC), under
different ownership. Silver would
only agree to sell it to someone
who would respect the design of
the house, which the current owners
- Margaret & JJ - have beautifully
done. If you don’t know it, you
should; it’s fabulous: http://www.
quinta-maria.com/
Silver lived in her “River House”,
off Aquiles Serdan, for about 25
years. The past few years, she did
so with her daughter Kandy, and
grandson Alex. Her son Kyle -
whom she loved dearly - died about
6 or 7 years ago, which nearly broke
her heart and spirit.
Smokey was her husband.
They had been separated since the
mid-1960’s, but never divorced.
He ended up moving here late
in life, after coming down with
Alzheimer’s. He died in Yelapa a
few years back.
Both Silver and Smokey were
those larger-than-life personalities
that really have an impact, and are
impossible to forget, once met.
While Silver may be remembered
for her funky jewelry and unique
style, a large part of her legacy are
the two homes she created and built
on her own - singular in style. QMC
was featured in numerous movies
and magazines.
OBITUARY
From its popularity, Silver was
introduced to the film industry, and
worked on extra casting for many
of the films shot here, including
Revenge and Harvest. Both used
QMC as a key location. She also
designed the furniture and screens.
A real gift of hers was in
assembling a group of people for
dinner where conversations were
always magical. She dined out
almost every night of the week. She
knew every good waiter in town,
consistently drank “vodka rocks”,
and she always required “separate
checks”.
What Silver wanted to be known
for – and repeated many times over
the years, as to what should be on
her epitaph – was that she was “the
first woman to drive a pick-up truck
in Puerto Vallarta.” She was proud
of that truck - which she said could
stop on a dime with a full load of
bricks in the back on a cobblestoned
street - but it was eventually
confiscated by the federales. After
that, Silver always drove what she
referred to as “unassuming” cars.
The colorful VW Safaris decked
out in fringe and sequins were,
however, hard to miss, in my
opinion. But, always a convertible.
Just last week, I was with her in
the hospital planning what she’d
be wearing to her 90 th birthday
luncheon, planned for April 4.
As my friend Wayne said to me,
“she was a dame”, and in the very
best sense of the word.
To me, she was the best friend
a person could ask for, and I will
miss her dearly.
Lynne Bairstow