I told him my dad grew up in Penn Valley, and when I described his childhood house, he threw back his head — he lived just a few streets over. A smile played on my lips. I'd always considered Penn Valley a place for old people because that's where my grandparents lived. He agreed. "It's true, most of my neighbors are old Jewish couples. When they see me on their morning walks, they wave and call me 'Gentle.' They reach up and pat me on my arm and say, 'Good morning, Gentle.'"