Dispatches of a San Francisco Liberal from Union Creek, Oregon
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Last week, I drove six hours north from San Francisco to Ashland, Oregon home of the world renown Oregon Shakespeare Festival. OSF will celebrate its 90th anniversary next year, and what an honor it has been to work with them this past season.
On my previous trips there, I spent time in communities along the I-5 corridor — Medford, Jacksonville, and, of course, Ashland. This time, seeking adventure, I journeyed two hours northeast to Crater Lake.
I had long wanted to experience the Lake’s stunning views and crystal-clear waters. However, my luck turned when the rain closed in and the temperature dropped to 38-degrees. I snapped a few photos, but ended up wet, cold, and hungry.
Remembering that I had seen a small restaurant along the highway, I set my GPS for Union Creek.
Blink and you can miss this no stoplight town on Highway 62, but I found it! Union Creek consists of three buildings: the Union Creek Lodge (which dates back to 1922 and hosted dignitaries such as Jack London, Zane Grey, and Herbert Hoover), an ice cream stand, and, to the point, Beckie’s Restaurant.
Beckie’s is named after Ed and Cecil Becklehymer, or the “Beckies” as they were known to locals. They owned and operated the restaurant from the 1930’s through the 1960’s. Cecil was a legendary character in the community — with flaming red hair and a glass eye. People say that one can still hear Cecil baking her famous huckleberry pies at night.
I soon found out that Beckie’s is still known for its pies. Jody greeted me at the door and directed me to a booth where she pointed to a large blackboard with the list of five cream pies and seven fruit pies that were available that day.
And in big letters on the menu, Homemade Chicken Pot Pie.
Where you from, hon?” Jody asked. She had an ageless quality about her, with her blonde, braided pigtails and cheeky demeanor.
“San Francisco.”
“Ah, so your girl is running for President,”
I nodded, not knowing quite how to respond.
Jody leaned in. “Some folks here wouldn’t agree with me, but I like her. She’s kind. And she’s tough. Now, what can I get ya?”
“Chicken pot pie,” I answered.
She winked and said “good choice.”
“Pot pies take 40 minutes.”
“No worries. I’m in no rush.”
Settled in and waiting for my pie, I turned my ear to the hustle and bustle at Beckie’s, which was full at 2 p.m. on a Wednesday.
I overheard locals greeting each other by name and discussing last night’s Harris-Trump Presidential Debate.
“He blew it. Took her bait hook, line, and sinker.”
“I think he came across as tough. A real leader.”
“Well she showed me that she could be a real Commander In-Chief.”
“All they did was call each other names. Neither one of them offered any solutions. It was a waste of my time.”
“Doesn’t matter. I know how I’m voting.
I realized that Beckie’s was a reflection of the rest of the country — evenly divided among the two candidates.
According to the Jackson County Elections Archive, the County went 50% for Trump and 47% for Biden in 2020 with a 79.5% turnout.
Comments from the locals brought home the fact that this diner was on the pulse of what is happening in communities across the country.
Jody brought me my slice of pie and oh my. The most exquisite chicken pot pie I’d ever tasted!
She must have known I’d like it since she stuck around to watch my expression change.
I decided to take a bit of a risk and ask her how people in Union Creek handle their differences.
“It’s simple. We can disagree, but at the end of the day, we all need each other. I don’t know how much difference our votes make, or even how much any President affects us here in Union Creek. This is what’s important to me.”
Jody pointed proudly at the children’s drawings on the wall, gifts to her from the kids in the community.
In her own right, Jody was a legend of Union Creek.
I polished off the pot pie and moved on to the banana cream pie to honor my mom, and a slice of boysenberry pie to honor Cecil.
Jody wished me well and told me I’d be welcome at Beckie’s anytime. I promised I would return. I left Beckie’s with a simple truth: that a San Francisco liberal can find a sense of belonging, even here in Union Creek.
As I drove down the mountain that afternoon, I remembered that the solution lies in two big lessons. The first from Aunty Puanani Burgess and the second from Cecil “Beckie” Becklehymer -
Lesson 1: Always be open to see, hear and try something new; and
Lesson 2: Never underestimate the power of pie to resolve our differences and bring about peace.
Stay tuned for my next dispatch from Woodinville, WA, where I will introduce you to my teacher Katherine Metz, and we will take a philosophical journey back a thousand years.
Kevin John Fong is an internationally recognized cultural translator, facilitator, and speaker in transformative justice, leadership development, and building beloved communities. Kevin is the Founder of the Kahakulei Institute, whose mission is to weave people and possibilities to cultivate communities of belonging.
Kevin is a featured host on the CNBC News series, Changing the Narrative, and the author of, “The Five Elements: An East Asian Approach to Achieve Organizational Health, Professional Growth, and Personal Well-Being.”
Most importantly, Kevin is the child of Bob and Mary; the spouse of Greg; and the parent of Rafael, Santiago and Conner. Kevin lives in the traditional land of the Ramaytush Ohlone people, now known as San Francisco, CA.
