Big Sur Bakery fire leaves a grieving community.

“It was a day or two after Rocky Creek fell apart and Sydney and I were reviewing what we had in the house to eat.  Bread was the only shortage so when we were down on the empty highway, we went searching. First stop was the Bakery with not a soul in sight. The door unlocked and opened as I approached. Mike Gilson, “We’re closed, but not for you”. Empty shelf’s obvious, I mentioned bread, feeling foolish but, “No, no” and I followed him to a small freezer and he pulled out two loaves giving me a verbal tour of their attributes as he did. I suggested the plain sourdough   but he insisted I take the seeded sourdough and so as a compromise he handed me both and refused payment.
At home, partially thawed, the loaves were halved, one for the counter, three in the freezer. Thick, one inch slices, in the toaster, butter and strawberry jam. Mike was right about the specialness of the seeded bread but I wasn’t wrong about the plain.
Yesterday the Bakery burned to a shell. Today I had the last heel of the last loaf, thinking about Mike and kindness and grief.”

Steve Beck