Shalom, ~Caleb Elroy Shikles

I breathe a prayer of thanksgiving for you, dear friend, this Christmas time.

...Uncles Charley(I saw him Baptized as a young man in Oklahoma City)... Charley & Henry.. made with the two Scalzo brother 's the largest Bakery for restaurants in southern California. Each sold control of "4S Bakeries to Western Bakeries for nearly half a million.. (Big $ in those days,,,.Charley & Henry were "silent" Partners in the first 6 Outdoor RESTAURANTS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA..

When I was in college my Uncle Henry took me to horse races; The day before I was to drive him in my car upt a "Keeley-Cure Rehabilitation fori alcoholics.....He gave me 20 dollars to bet and showed me how,:saying Maybe you'll bring me good "....

Well, they say ..You can know nothing until you know it's history.

It is a great story about The Depression Period of my adolescent years. We came from Oklahoma to Southern CaLIFORNIA IN 1923.... This film is built around the spirit of the people of American in that difficult Depression period.... At our Showing We had about 70 fellow clasmates present. Again I took ALONG KLEANEX I remember this period so well...Many people were out of work... I actually saw a man throw a brick through aStore Window and steal bread.. Our Whole Family of Scrivner's Schadwick's_Shikles. Morris etc didn't suffer physically for we were in the feeding of People business,, All of my Family at one time or another worked in th He opened an Outdoor restaurant in Missouri, and died in his twenties of a heart attack... Cousins Delores, Hazel,Ione,Evelyn,Rose,Jim Violet echad great Picnics in Griffith Park,Los Angeles... and found strength in fellowship with other Missourians and Oklahomeans in the State Gatherings...

Now .I CAN'T REMEMBER IF I SAW SEABISCUIT, the horse ever run...From the film I learned the great story of A business Man who opeated a horse Stable..He. Became very wealthy. Had a Bicycle, and later Car Owner-ships....Lost everything including his wife. In Tia Juana he met a woman who affirmed him and together they faced the Discouaghbement and found hope for a better day after the depression..President Roosevelt and the Policies he developed helped bring America..out of the Depression.Even in 1933-36 I received 35cents an hour working for NYA in the College Library..

1. The day after highschool graduation in 1929 I had a job given me by my Uncle Charley at Wilshire and Western; As a Car-Hop.. I did not have a car .I lived on Longwood street. Not far from the La breza Pits.I Rode an Electric Car out West Adams to Western and a bus from West Adams up to Wilshire, I only worked from 10 am through 7 p.m.

During the week I matriculated for two years at the new Los Angeles Junior College.. one of the first.Junior Colleges in the State..I rode a bus out West Adams Blvd to Vermont transferred to another electric Car and up Vermont to the College.. I majored in Drama & Psychology receiving at the end of two years an Associate of Arts Degree. My Uncle Henry helped me buy my first two cars. ‘ a 1927 Ford for In 1932 I enrolled at the University of redlands riding the train from L$200. And a 1930 Ford with gears and a Rumble Seat. For$500. For four years I worked at the Carpenter's Drive-in. I transferred some credits to Redlands in 1932 but I worked as a Waiter.

; Every Friday nite through Sunday noon. I was a carhop working on Tips only... We had five young men working the Wilshire side and five girls working .the Western street.side ; all standing in a line when not waiting on cars...We called the names of the Cars as they drove around or across the str,eet. If the car came in ,we greeted the occupants and shared a Menu while we returned and brought an aluminum tray with glasses of water. This we hung on the window of the car we had named . At that time one of the busiest corners in the world.was at the Corner of Willshire and Western.... Our Second Stand ,where I later occasionally worked was at Sunset & Vine in Hollywood... We three to 5 car-hops, wore green pants with a yellow stripe on each leg;. a vest of sharp Yellow stripes, white shirts, black bow tie & a military looking Cap...

We worked entirely on tips ..even paid for laundering the shirts;. f and for half of our meals,,, I usually worked 10-2 each day and5-to eleven -2each evening. That's why I bought my first car.. Later on week-ends I would work all night.;'many times,on week ends from Redlands University, from 10 p.m to seven in the morning....

I often waited on people like Jack Benny& his band members, Fatty Arbuckle, Death Valley Scotty, Joe "Wanta buy a Ducjk",Penner,Jackie Cooper Jackie Coogan families who lived near by and oftencme in..... and the "our Gang" and Earl Caroll's Follie's show people....

Now, on this particular week , My Uncle took me to the races at Santa Anita,.This was the day before I was to drive him to a "Keeley Kure' Institute near Riverside, California ; not very far from Redlands. He went once a year , and lived on water/Juices etc for 28 days. To clean out his whole Body.

After lunch, in a high room overlooking the Race track he gave me twenty dollars and showed me how to bet. He invested over a hundred dollars marking a

race Card saying: "I hope you bring me good Luck" It was fascinating to me as I watched gther men& women shouting during the races...Uncle Henry lost on l on most of the races. As we tore up our tickets after the Races: . I said,"I didn't bring you good luck as you hoped.".. I said; "Too bad we didn't win"

Uncle Henry smiled ,chuckled a little and then aid said:..."No ,Elroy. We didn't win any races but we made Money... How's that I questioned.... O. I'm part owner of this.. I invested $75,000 in building Santa Anita Race Track." This is paying off well.".

I'm glad Carol taught me and our Family that Gambling is not acceptable behavio In these later years, however , she would say "It must be controlled....Carol had real fun in playing the Stock Market which she, with the Twin sons Jim& John have thoroughly enjoyed.

Now at this Christmas time... I rejoice that the Family investments in "The Shikles-Styn Scholarship Fund for helping second year students will be in 2004 a reality with over $25,000. The Foundation with Jim & John continues to make judicious investments that have helped In Carol's Memorial Fund.

Love, & Prayers for each of you...Every day as I think of you and what you are doing from my Jacuzzi... I rejoice in FAMILY .

Dad,.Grandad & Great Grandad Shikles.....DECEMBER 21,2003