Memories need to be shared so that everyone can enjoy some of his most unbelievable exploits:
Like the trip to Yosemite in '60 or '61 included Malcolm, Stu and I shopping at the market in the Valley. Had little money left for gas at 34 cents a gallon and less for food. I was in line at the checkout when Mal came up behind me in a real hurry. Someone was slowly conversing with the cashier and Mal pointed at his crotch and indicated he was burning up from a hot chicken he was attempting to pilfer. Grease was showing through his pants. He nearly pushed me out the door and ran to Stu's car, pulled out the chicken and got nabbed by a house detective. Both of us into his office where Mal convinced him we had no money, were leaving the next day and starving. We were released.
Or the time when a bunch of us were driving with him to the county fair in Pomona when we had car trouble and he pulled off on a turnout on Kellog hill. Jay Lord popped the hood of the white princess, evaluated the problem and removed and dispatched the air cleaner down the hill. We all contributed.
And the time we were driving to the beach and he wanted me to drive. He sat in the back. I had no license yet. A bunch of you were there when, in the fast lane of the Santa Ana Frwy. Mal threw his beach towel over my head. At 65 mph! We survived.
And driving down Orange Grove Blvd. when he made a sharp turn onto the Wrigley mansion grounds. Donuts all over until he hung the car up on a limber bent over tree. The tires were spinning and the lights were coming on at the mansion before we made a getaway.
And then many of us were at that Colorado Blvd. pizza joint talking about the usual, kind of a quiet table, when Mal picked up the biggest piece of pizza left, put it on his face and blew his nose into it, dropped what was left and looking at us with cheese and sauce dripping off his nose.
Some years later he came to visit us in Santa Rosa and we told our kids, 2 and 4 at the time that he was Capt. Kangaroo. And he was.
After reading Rich Lincoln's comments about Mal, I just sat back and reveled in the absolute insanity that he brought with him to virtually every event. The beach trips, the mountain trips the drill team adventures. He lived a life that many of us could never comprehend. He was definitely out there and while in some cases the edge was surely pushed to extremes. He did it because he was Malcolm, always a good friend. He operated at a level that only a few could even conceptualize, let alone act out. One of a kind.
I have known Malcom since the 4th grade at Oneonta Grammer school.
We used to collect toy soldiers and baseball cards together. Some of my favorite memories with Malcom where his car " the whie princess". I remember he was running low of gas and was near the San Marino Police station gas pump.. He made a dash for their gas pump got nearly filled when a watchman heard him.. He wanted to top of the tank but had to get out of there. Who swipes gas from a police station?
Hunting trips where he drove his car out to the dessert floor, there were no roads to drive on.
Malcom was a guy who loved life and was always up to something crazy. He dared to do what ever while we stood back in amazement.
He made us all laugh, with his daredevil way of looking at things. I will miss him, he was a great friend.
The Egyptians believe that when you arrive in heaven you have to answer two questions -
Did you find joy in your life?
Did you bring joy into the lives of others?
Life shouldn’t be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways - body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and hollering; “What a ride.”
Malcolm certainly grasped the gist of the truth in each of these quotes.
The “Magic of Malcolm” began for me at Oneonta in 3rd grade, or thereabouts, and never really stopped. Malcolm was less intimidated by life than anyone I’ve ever known. He never allowed convention to box him in. None of us, as I’m sure most of us are well aware, are just one thing. Grins were, unquestionably, Malcolm’s stock-in-trade, but folks sometimes forget that he was also smart, athletic, and when called for, charming.
Malcolm was always looking for a smile, for everyone involved, and he never, to quote the Lone Ranger, was ready to deliver a concluding, “Hi yo Silver,” until someone was gasping for air from something he’d said or done. The last time I saw him we ate dinner together at a sports bar in his neighborhood, and yes, once again, I was inches from needing resuscitation as we reminisced about how our lives had played out.
Although I regret never having seen him again I knew he was out there, and somehow that was enough. Certainly I’ll miss him but his gusto for life will continue to remind me that time not spent grinning is time wasted.
Rich Lincoln
Memories need to be shared so that everyone can enjoy some of his most unbelievable exploits:
Like the trip to Yosemite in '60 or '61 included Malcolm, Stu and I shopping at the market in the Valley. Had little money left for gas at 34 cents a gallon and less for food. I was in line at the checkout when Mal came up behind me in a real hurry. Someone was slowly conversing with the cashier and Mal pointed at his crotch and indicated he was burning up from a hot chicken he was attempting to pilfer. Grease was showing through his pants. He nearly pushed me out the door and ran to Stu's car, pulled out the chicken and got nabbed by a house detective. Both of us into his office where Mal convinced him we had no money, were leaving the next day and starving. We were released.
Or the time when a bunch of us were driving with him to the county fair in Pomona when we had car trouble and he pulled off on a turnout on Kellog hill. Jay Lord popped the hood of the white princess, evaluated the problem and removed and dispatched the air cleaner down the hill. We all contributed.
And the time we were driving to the beach and he wanted me to drive. He sat in the back. I had no license yet. A bunch of you were there when, in the fast lane of the Santa Ana Frwy. Mal threw his beach towel over my head. At 65 mph! We survived.
And driving down Orange Grove Blvd. when he made a sharp turn onto the Wrigley mansion grounds. Donuts all over until he hung the car up on a limber bent over tree. The tires were spinning and the lights were coming on at the mansion before we made a getaway.
And then many of us were at that Colorado Blvd. pizza joint talking about the usual, kind of a quiet table, when Mal picked up the biggest piece of pizza left, put it on his face and blew his nose into it, dropped what was left and looking at us with cheese and sauce dripping off his nose.
Some years later he came to visit us in Santa Rosa and we told our kids, 2 and 4 at the time that he was Capt. Kangaroo. And he was.
There were laughs that he gave to so many of us.
I thank him for being what he was, and a friend.
Rich Lincoln
Stuart Fraser
After reading Rich Lincoln's comments about Mal, I just sat back and reveled in the absolute insanity that he brought with him to virtually every event. The beach trips, the mountain trips the drill team adventures. He lived a life that many of us could never comprehend. He was definitely out there and while in some cases the edge was surely pushed to extremes. He did it because he was Malcolm, always a good friend. He operated at a level that only a few could even conceptualize, let alone act out. One of a kind.
Martin Allen Price
I have known Malcom since the 4th grade at Oneonta Grammer school.
We used to collect toy soldiers and baseball cards together. Some of my favorite memories with Malcom where his car " the whie princess". I remember he was running low of gas and was near the San Marino Police station gas pump.. He made a dash for their gas pump got nearly filled when a watchman heard him.. He wanted to top of the tank but had to get out of there. Who swipes gas from a police station?
Hunting trips where he drove his car out to the dessert floor, there were no roads to drive on.
Malcom was a guy who loved life and was always up to something crazy. He dared to do what ever while we stood back in amazement.
He made us all laugh, with his daredevil way of looking at things. I will miss him, he was a great friend.
David Moore
A Word or Two About Malcolm
The Egyptians believe that when you arrive in heaven you have to answer two questions -
Life shouldn’t be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways - body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and hollering; “What a ride.”
Malcolm certainly grasped the gist of the truth in each of these quotes.
The “Magic of Malcolm” began for me at Oneonta in 3rd grade, or thereabouts, and never really stopped. Malcolm was less intimidated by life than anyone I’ve ever known. He never allowed convention to box him in. None of us, as I’m sure most of us are well aware, are just one thing. Grins were, unquestionably, Malcolm’s stock-in-trade, but folks sometimes forget that he was also smart, athletic, and when called for, charming.
Malcolm was always looking for a smile, for everyone involved, and he never, to quote the Lone Ranger, was ready to deliver a concluding, “Hi yo Silver,” until someone was gasping for air from something he’d said or done. The last time I saw him we ate dinner together at a sports bar in his neighborhood, and yes, once again, I was inches from needing resuscitation as we reminisced about how our lives had played out.
Although I regret never having seen him again I knew he was out there, and somehow that was enough. Certainly I’ll miss him but his gusto for life will continue to remind me that time not spent grinning is time wasted.
Thanks, Malcolm!
Dave Moore