One of the most instructive pieces of recent reading — fascinating, too, in its way — is Secretary of State Kevin Shelley’s “Official Voter Information Guide” for the statewide special election that may or may not be coming up in a couple of weeks. You know, the recall one.

If his Grayness the Guv actually does get ousted, there are 135 hopefuls — some obviously much more so than others — lined up seeking to replace him. Surprisingly, out of that number — each of whom has shelled out $3,500 for the privilege of having his or her name on the ballot — 31 were mute when given the opportunity to list either agenda or qualifications in the Shelley Guide.

In some cases it’s easy to understand. Minuscule actor Gary Coleman, for instance, probably just isn’t much for small talk. On the other hand, there’s Mary “Mary Carey” Cook, who makes her living as an ecdysiast, known more popularly as a stripper. Given her occupation, it’s difficult to explain away her silence. After all, what could she possibly have to hide?

Better silence, one supposes, than the outspokenness of one Trek Thunder Kelly, who claims a vote for him would be “breaking the Seventh Seal and incurring Armageddon” and promises to legalize drugs, gambling and prostitution “so they may be taxed and regulated … to subsidize the deficit, education and the environment.” I have yet to see any editorializing on his behalf.

And getting the least for his $3,500 — $1,166.67 per word — is Christopher Sproul: “Recall? Vote No!”

So where does all this leave front-runner Ahnold the Actor? That’s what’s taken me so long. I was waiting to find out. There is a curious gap between the statements of Mike Schmier and George B. Schwartzman. There is nothing from Schwarzenegger, although I’m sure we would have heard had he been terminated.

That he can write can be considered a given, so the question is does he have no definite views to state or are his high-powered advisers unable to agree on what they want him to say?

Only time will tell.

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Conventional local history tells us that The Firehouse in Old Sacramento had its genesis housing fire trucks and the animals that pulled them, along with those who fought the city’s early blazes. Then legend has it standing empty and abandoned until the Cope brothers turned it into an elegant restaurant several decades ago.

Lydia Carillo Val has a somewhat different take and tells of its ungraceful middle age in the Depression-hit early 1930s when her father, Charles Carillo, and his brother rented the rotting structure to house an employment agency for itinerant workers.

The business got off to a bad start, Lydia recalls. The floor crumbled under the Carillos and they had to replace it — when cash was in extremely short supply — before they could open for business.

Things began looking up when they supported San Francisco Mayor James Rolph Jr. in his successful race for governor, and he became their patron.

Lydia reports Newton and Carl Cope were disbelieving when she told them the story — until, that is, she brought in a photo of the place in its employment agency days. Then, she says, they wanted the picture for their records, but she demurred, feeling it belonged in the Carillo archives, where it remains today.

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A new federal law supposedly will make it possible to block unwanted telephone sales pitches. We shall see about that. Meanwhile, folks with computers are at the mercy of those who would enhance your sexual prowess, unblock your cesspool, remove cracks from your windshield or — today’s apparent favorite — refinance your home mortgage.

For the past week, I’ve been besieged by those who would save me uncounted dollars. Actually, because the pitches are so similar, I suspect it’s just one outfit with an assortment of names, all using the same M.O.

They have investigated the financial climate of this city and my neighborhood, it’s a low risk area so their rates are lower, and I’m virtually preapproved sight unseen.

I don’t know why I even bother, but I’ve been answering them with the news that their investigation techniques must be faulty. Otherwise they’d know we moved into this house in 1952 with a 15-year mortgage and have had no mortgage payments to make for the past 36 years.

Next they’ll be trying to lend mortgage-free me money so I can buy a new car, take an ocean cruise or make a down payment on a cemetery plot.

Maybe this scattergun approach does work. Just today I got a letter from a Realtor asking for a listing on some property when even a cursory reading of the business press would have told him it was sold six months ago.

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The newest attraction at the Towe Auto Museum down there on Front Street is also an old one, an exhibit celebrating the “Cadillac Centennial” this year.

Sponsored by Hubacher Cadillac — you didn’t expect it to be a Toyota dealer, I trust — it’ll remain at the Towe, 2200 Front St., until the end of the year.

Also on the agenda are the Towe’s Sunday afternoon concerts on the Mighty Wurlitzer theater organ on Oct. 5 (Jim Brown), Oct. 19 (Bert Kuntz), Nov. 16 (Warren Lubich) and Dec. 21, the 10th annual Christmas concert (Dave Sauer).

Admission is $7 for adults, $6 for seniors. More at (916) 442-6802.