Wall Street Alley regular always had story to tell

BY MAGGIE ANDERSON, Californian staff writer
e-mail: manderson@californian.com | Thursday, Jun 28 2007 7:35 PM

Last Updated: Thursday, Jun 28 2007 7:37 PM

Depending on when you talked to him, he had 15 brothers and sisters or 50. His father lived until he was 110 or 126. And he had 50 grandchildren or 100.

Photos:

handout family photograph Isaiah Briggs

Isaiah Briggs, a construction worker-turned-Wall Street Alley shoe shiner, was a teller of tales -- he knew the value of exaggeration.

"When the family was all together he would entertain us with his stories, some true, some fabrication, but nonetheless very entertaining," said Rosie Briggs, Isaiah's sister-in-law.

And he considered himself the best shoe shiner in the world, Rosie said.

Briggs, known to friends and family as Squirrel or Big Ike, died Saturday from a heart attack, said his daughter Tamika Swain. He was 71.

The Arkansas native became a fixture outside Guthrie's Alley Cat, 1525 Wall St., when he began making extra money by shining shoes more than 20 years ago.

"He had like 18 kids and 50-some grandkids, right?" asked Mike Caterling, a longtime employee of the Alley Cat. "He was a fun guy, he could tell a tale."

What most remember was Briggs' love of people.

"He liked talking to the people, seeing people," Briggs' wife of more than 30 years, Dorothy Briggs, said. "They're gonna remember him as he was. Everybody in Bakersfield knows, this was a good person."

"I really believe he didn't have an enemy," said son Megual Briggs.

Briggs moved to California when he was 15, dreaming of big money, Megual said. He never hit it big, but he helped construct many buildings in town until an accident forced him to retire.

Hard work and family are recurring themes in Briggs' life. In addition to his wife, he is survived by three brothers, at least five children and more than 20 grandchildren.

Tamika said her father always tried to be strong for his family, even though his health gradually declined from emphysema over the past two years. When she visited him the day he died, he told her he was feeling fine.

"I guess he didn't want me to worry," she said.

Mrs. Briggs said she has been relying heavily on family to help her deal with her husband's death.

"It's been real hard," she said. "I have my little cries, screams, hollers. I'm not holding it in 'cause I'm gonna miss him. I'm really gonna miss him."

The family was unprepared for Briggs' death, she said, as was he -- he had no life insurance. The family has established a bank account for funeral funds and hopes to gather enough money to abide by Briggs' wishes to be buried rather than cremated. Contributions can be made to account number 316-219603-0 at Washington Mutual Bank.