Cooper Point Appreciative Inquiry Project
Interview with Bob &
Debbie Pattin
Interview conducted by Rita Marsh
March 1, 2006
One of the best parts of living at Cooper Point for Bob Pattin is
returning home from work. Each turn he makes seems to take him further and
further from the city and work. The trees, cedars and madronas, begin to
envelope him as does the quiet created by those trees. In the Summer months
the lushness of the area makes it feel like he‘s living in his own private
resort retreat. He is close enough to town to easily get what he needs, but
there is a strong sense of remoteness too. Over the years he has enjoyed
many walks on the beach. His children grew up with the beach as their own
magical playground.
His fondest memory of the beach is one morning looking out of his window
and seeing his dog, Dugan, trying to capture a salmon out of the creek that
remains when the tide is out. He ran outside in his bathrobe and boots to
get a better look. He automatically called for his dog and by doing so,
Dugan lost his precarious grip on the salmon and it was able to swim away.
Dugan wasn’t too happy about the loss but the salmon was grateful.
On an early morning in December, during a high tide, Debbie Pattin got to
experience a wonder of nature. Three huge seals were frolicking in the water
within plain view of her beach house deck. She stood captivated by the
seals. She shared their joy at finding a school of fish for breakfast. They
threw up sprays of water in their attempts to capture their meal. The fish
tried valiantly to escape, even attempting flight. The seals swam faster and
faster in circles. When they would flip over she could see the spots on
their bellies. It seemed as if she could reach out and touch them. She was
going to be late for work if she stayed to finish watching them. So on she
went to work. Debbie worked at a school and the whole day she was struck by
the contrast of the seals and their breakfast and the cold, sterile
environment around her. She felt that it was a completely surreal experience
that will remain with her always.
The ice storm of 1997 gave Bob and Debbie an opportunity to happily serve
their community. The severity of the storm plus the subsequent snow knocked
the power out for 9 days in their neighborhood. During that time the Pattins
were able to provide wood for their neighbors with fireplaces, drinking
water and hot coffee and chocolate. Each morning during that time Debbie
watched her neighbors arriving with empty jugs, wheelbarrows and thermoses
to pick up a days worth of water, heat and a morning pick me up. They felt a
real bonding with their neighbors in being able to provide what others did
not have.
Debbie vividly remembers the day the power company workers arrived to
reconnect the power. She said that seeing them trudging down the hill in the
snow, ice and fallen branches with their yellow slickers on and coils of
wire over their shoulders reminded Debbie of soldiers arriving. As others
spotted the workers she could hear her neighbors calling out to each other,
“the power workers are here”. People came out of their houses to see them,
some of them even bringing offerings of thanks; cookies, chocolates, even a
bottle of Scotch. Everyone was just so thankful that their struggles were
ending soon. Debbie said the scene from her window reminded her of a WWII
movie with the Americans liberating France. Not long after the power had
been restored, the neighbors had a thank you get-together for the Pattins.
Debbie remembers being a bit embarrassed at the public display of thanks.
She felt that anyone would have helped out given that they had the resources
too.
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