I WAS SURPRISED in reading the article about the Comedy Store in the last issue to realize that the club only lasted a year in Pacific Beach. It was located below T. D. Hays (today’s Pacific Beach Shore Club) before moving to La Jolla. The night I attended, the lineup included George Miller, Jeff Altman and Gallagher. George Miller’s bit concerned a successful businessman who’d become a millionaire at age 19. Miller joked that, at age 19, he worked at a business where he was required to ask, “Do you want fries with that?” Jeff Altman, who later starred in a failed comedy called “Pink Lady and Jeff,” parodied “Wild Kingdom’s” Marlin Perkins in Detroit in search of the rare “White Wino.” Gallagher, of course, unveiled his Sledge-O-Matic — smashing watermelons with a giant wooden mallet. DON’T TELL KONO’S OWNER STEVE BETTLES, but I’ve been waking up with his hot, blonde wife Kathy whispering in my ear. Something about the KPBS Producer’s Club. Oh, did I forget to mention her voice was coming from my clock-radio? WHEN I AGREED TO SPEAK to Mrs. Mehl’s third grade class at Pacific Beach Elementary, the word must have gotten around. First grade teacher Jennifer Cromar stopped me at Starbucks and assured me I’d have a good time, noting that Mrs. Mehl had the gay kids. My brain told me things had changed a lot since I taught, before my mouth said, “I didn’t think third graders even knew they were gay.” “Not GAY, you doofus,” Jennifer responded, “GATE — Gifted And Talented Education.” Ahhh!! Obviously a program I was never part of when I was in school. (PS: I had a great time.) — John Fry may be reached at (858) 272-6655 or [email protected]