The Tradition of Pete's Market:
Why was it Bad Luck not to Stop There?
Janna Ostoya and Bookmark Davis
Photos by Jenny "JD" "Happi" Dyke
The stop at Pete's Super Market on Broadway in
Eureka, Calif., dates back to the early days (i.e. pre-Bookmark era) of
the band. Pete owned two business there at that location. Pete's Market
connected to Pete's Cave, which had the distinction of being the southern-most
bar in Eureka. This made it an ideal stop for southbound road-trippin' buses.
One sad day, Pete's Cave got severely busted by ABC for selling alcohol
to a minor. The Cave was closed down, never to reopen. But the tradition
of stopping at Pete's continued.
The story behind the curse: During basketball season we had a road trip
to Hayward and SF. Bookmark was driving a rented 1985 Ford Tempo, with less
than 1000 miles on it. Jane "Serious" Rucker and Ben (Brad's roommate)
were passengers.
Bookmark was running late, didn't take the time to observe the ritual, and
sped on his way. Long about Singing Trees and Richardson's Grove, he missed
a curve "by only six inches." His outside wheels left the road
for a fickle shoulder. The shoulder led the hapless wheels a merry chase
from horizontal to vertical. The car flipped onto its roof, in a manner
which Bookmark assures me is classic Dukes of Hazard.
The car slid on its roof, staying in its own lane, for about 30 feet. This
was a good thing too, for the oncoming semi probably wouldn't have been
able to avoid the car.
Oom-pa (Mark Patterson) and Jason Barker came along the road about then,
driving (Band Director) J.B.'s truck with the musical equipment. Oom-pa
spilled picante sauce all over his macinaw while braking the truck, and
Jason had a chance to practice his new EMT skills on Bookmark.
The car was totaled. Mark's arm looked like hamburger for months and is
still scarred. Jane and Ben came through with only bumps and cuts.
Mark had to be taken to an emergency room in Garberville, where a malpractitioner
messed up his arm (there is still a lot of gravel in it), and he caught
up with the band.
Oom-pa, Jason, and Jane were in the front off the truck, and Mark was in
the back, on top of the equipment, and flying high on pain killers. The
truck arrived at CSUH after the game was over. The vehicle proceeded to
the designated sleep-over house (Gary "Igor" Rensink's parents).
Mark stuck it out for the rest of the roadtrip, which included another basketball
game in SF.
(Ironically enough, he did not win the March or Die Award that year at Band
Banquet, because certain critical people did not remember him rejoining
the band after the accident. )
A quick survey revealed that all the vehicles except for Bookmark's had
stopped at Pete's Market, even if only briefly. And only Bookmark's vehicle
was involved in an accident. The conclusion was obvious.
NOTE: Pete's Market closed down in March
1996. The building now houses "El Pueblo," an impressively stocked
Mexican market.
See ROAD TRIP! for an account of the final stop at Pete's.
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