Chronicle PM: It's just not
for sale anymore. |
Rick
Gaub is a career news vendor. He started selling newspapers in the
Mission in 1965 at the age of 12. By the time the Chronicle PM ceased publication
in September, 2002, Rick was already an institution in San Francisco for
the newsstand he operated at the Embarcadero BART station. That's where
Rick reimagined the afternoon headlines in puns and posted them on signs
in front of his stand to the delight of amused - and sometimes bewildered
- BART passengers. Countless commuters rolled their eyes over such gems
as: "Oakland Coliseum Robbed During Ice Show - Heist Capades," "Designer
of New Building was A-Edifice Time," "Saddam Tells Bush: You Mess with
Me You Gonna Get U.S. Kicked" and "Judge Rules Kaiser Plan Must Cover Viagra.
Have a Geyser Permanente!" When the Chronicle PM published its last edition
on September 27, there was no other afternoon newspaper in the City. It
was no longer feasible for Rick to run an afternoon stand at the BART station.
Rick felt sentimental on his last day at Embarcadero, but told well wishers
he would continue to sell the morning paper from his stand at the Castro
Muni Station. So don't feel sad for Rick, or as the pun master might have
said (but didn't), "Stop the De-Presses." |