‘Jimmy Dunne Says’

The Palisadian-Post presents an homage to Will Rogers’ column, “Will Rogers Says,” with a column by Palisadian Jimmy Dunne—on life in the “greatest town in America.”

Palisades Turkeys

I know what you’re thinking.

Nobody wants to be a turkey.

Add to the mix this Thursday a whole bunch of ’em will be covered in gravy on your and my plate.

But that’s not the real story.

Turkeys are anything but turkeys.

Turkeys are the absolute coolest.

For soooooo many reasons.

Here are a few fun facts to know from their highlight reel.

1. They’ve been around for 20 million years

That’s right. Way, way before us. We’re infants on the planet compared to turkeys.
Just for the record, humans started talking about 50,000 to 100,000 years ago. That’s nothing.

2. Their heads change colors.

Yep. Depending on their moods, they might sport a red head or a blue one … Very fashion-forward, if you ask me. Try that, Giorgio Armani.

3. Every turkey is unique.

Turkeys are firecrackers of emotion. With joy. With curiosity. Some are daring and bold. Some are shy and reserved. All different and unique.  Some are smart and sassy—and tell you just what they think. I just love ’em so much.

4. They care about each other.

The big one.
Probably the reason they’ve been around so long. They hang out together. In a flock. They communicate in lots of different ways; they protect each other. They love their families, their buddies.
Hens rarely leave their nests—and will even fake an injury and sacrifice herself if it means protecting her little poults.
Siblings stick together their whole lives. As a flock, they groom each other, protect each other and root each other on. What’s not to love?

……………

Reminds me of somebody I know.

Palisadians.

Wonderful Palisadians.

I was thinking about a few special folks right here in town who remind me of amazing turkeys.

Who don’t always get the attention they deserve. Never showboats. Always there when you need ’em. Full to the brim of life with heart and love.

Amazing, selfless, caring turkeys.

So here are my favorite “Palisades Thanksgiving Turkeys.”

They don’t make ’em better …

Shaye Hendricks

Shaye absolutely crushed it a few years ago at USC with all kinds of academic and leadership honors—and decided she wanted to make a difference in children’s lives as a teacher.

She’s the Lead Pre-School 2 Teacher at Calvary in town—and her 15 kids absolutely adore her.

“I get to watch them find the wonder of life in the littlest, most beautiful things,” Shaye said. “How blessed am I?”

They’re the blessed ones to have you, Shaye.

Bruce Schwartz

Turkeys feel a duty to each other. They look out for each other. They’re there when you need ’em. That’s Bruce in the Palisades.

Our steward.

Bruce is on the Palisades Forestry Committee, planting trees in all our parks in town, improving our sidewalks and so many other projects to make the town even more of a town.

And he’s filled up the back of his 1974 pickup truck with trash from abandoned homeless sites and from all around town—hundreds and hundreds of times.

How grateful we all are to you, Bruce.

Kathleen McRoskey

Kathleen has raised four great kids, she’s married to a super-duper guy and does all kinds of community service work. But here’s her “tell.”

That thing she does that defines everything, everything that is beautiful about her.

Doesn’t seem like a big deal, but says miles.

Every week, rain or shine, around sunset, Kathleen goes next door to the side of her 93-year-old neighbor’s house—and rolls his trash cans out to the front curb. The next day—puts ’em all back.

If she hears a neighbor on their block is under the weather, or maybe one of the kids on the block is struggling with something, or maybe there’s a new neighbor moving in—Kathleen is knocking on their door.

And in her hand is a plate of warm, spectacular, home-baked chocolate chip cookies. But that look in her eyes telling you how much she loves you will fill you up so much longer than any cookie could ever do in the world.

Lucky the McRoskey kids, lucky her husband Mike, lucky her neighbors and lucky the Palisades to have Kathleen McRoskey in our wonderful town family.

Steve Guttenberg

I know he’s a celebrity, but that doesn’t mean he’s not a regular guy.

I was shopping in Gelsons, and Steve was buying a pastry from Susie at the bakery counter.

No one was there, just Susie.

Steve’s way of saying “thank you” was to sing, just to her, “You are the sunshine of my life.” And he sang the whole chorus, melting Susie’s heart. Nobody else heard him.

And he looked right in her eyes the whole time.

Life. Sure is a beautiful, wondrous thing.

Four Palisades Thanksgiving Turkeys.

Shaye Hendricks. Bruce Schwartz. Kathleen McRoskey. Steve Guttenberg.

Four beautiful, inspiring, caring town treasures.

How grateful we are to you—and to who you inspire us to reach to be.

Jimmy Dunne is a modern-day Renaissance Man; a hit songwriter (28 million hit records), screenwriter/producer of hit television series, award-winning author, an entrepreneur—and a Palisadian “Citizen of the Year.” You can reach him at j@jimmydunne.com
or jimmydunne.substack.com.