Free At Last
Posted: January 20, 2008 Filed under: Mouths of Babes Leave a comment »
Yesterday at the dinner table, Coco age 6, said, “Mama, the next time we go see Papa’s grave will his stone be there?”
“Yes. I think so,” I said.
“Will you take me to see it?” Coco said.
“Yes.”
My father died in December. The last time we were at the cemetery the gravestone was ordered, but not yet delivered.
“Mama, when we go, can you take me over to see Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s stone, too.”
“Martin Luther King, Jr.?” I said.
“Yes. We studied him in school, and I want to see his marker too.”
Since M.L.K. is dead, and Papa is dead, six-year-old logic says that they must be buried in the same place. It makes perfect sense. I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news.
“Martin Luther King, Jr. isn’t buried in the same cemetery as Papa. His grave is in Atlanta, Georgia.”
“It is?” Coco said. “Have you been there?”
“Yes. I’ve seen it.” I said.
“Will you take me there someday?” Coco said.
“Yes,” I said. “Why?”
“I want to read his gravestone. It says, ‘Free at last. Free at last. Thank God, Almighty, I’m free at last.’”
When I was Coco’s age, Martin Luther King, Jr. won the Nobel Peace Prize. My Sunday school teacher, an older southern woman, told my class . . . well, I won’t repeat what she said about Dr. King and his prize. Even then, I knew that she was wrong. I went home and told my parents, and they confirmed that she was wrong.
I would like to point out that Coco is Chinese. I am not. Neither is my husband. At age six, Dr. King means something to Coco, even if she is a little confused about the logistics of his grave.
The Post Office
Posted: January 17, 2008 Filed under: A Zany Life Leave a comment »
I’m two back in line to retrieve a certified letter at the post office. The woman buying stamps in front of me is 70 years old. Her hair is a waist length ponytail secured to the top of her head by a satin scrunchy the size of a yarmulka. She is squeezed into black pants, stilettos, and a satin blouse that is the exact purple of her headdress. I name her Flow. She weaves on tall shoes between the two working lines.
“Do you have a magic marker?” She bumps the customer in the line next to her.
“No.” The male clerk is emphatic.
She pushes his customer back to get a better look. “She said the same thing,” referring to the female clerk with the deadpan stare.
“Do you want the stamps, Ma’am?” Deadpan’s voice draws her back into the proper line.
“Will this get there tomorrow if I send it first class?” Flow asks.
I can’t hear the answer, but the result sends Flow over the edge. “You mean that it might not be there until Monday?”
Deadpan speaks in calm, soothing tones.
Flow’s voice is sharp. “Send it anyway.” She pulls a fifty out of her wallet for a single .41 cent stamp. Change is made. Swinging her bag and her tail in opposite directions, I watch her teeter off.
“Next.”
I’m off guard and smirking as I step up to the counter.
“What are you grinnin’ at?” Deadpan asks.
Without speaking, I place my claim notice on the counter and show my driver’s license. She retrieves the letter.
“I wait on that lady all the time. She’s crazy.” Deadpan is not so deadpan now.
“I couldn’t get over her clothes.” I’m not sure if I should comment.
“I knew you were snickering at her! You couldn’t help it.” Now, Deadpan’s face is downright animated.
“Does she always look like that?”
“Sometimes, she wears glitter.”
We both laugh.
“Have a good day,” she says.
As I move away from the counter, I turn back to say, “You too.”
Goals for the week of 1/14/08
Posted: January 14, 2008 Filed under: Goals 3 Comments »
1. Write morning pages every day. I use the method described in Julia Cameron’s books. I write three pages longhand or 15 minutes at the keyboard. These pages are absolute drivel. They are unreadable nonsense, but they get out all the “I’m so mads” and “I forgot tos” and “I can’t believe the high cost of soy milk.” It’s junk. I do it first thing every day. If I don’t, I’m unfit company. It gets the carping out of the way.
2. Finish the outline for my current work in progress including the subplots and scene by scene synopsis. I have written into this plot line about 100 pages. It was enough to get into the main character’s head. I’ve divided the story into four acts or turning points. Each act has its own title. Thank you CrusieMayer.com for the structure cues. It’s a great online workshop. Check it out at http://www.crusiemayer.com/workshop/
3. Buy a new computer and set it up. I’m biting the bullet and buying a new MacBook. I’m going to the Apple store on Monday. If they have all I need, then I’m walking out with it. If not, I’ll order from Apple.com. My little iBook still works just fine, but it is a 2002 G3 without a wireless card. I’ve been writing with AppleWorks software. It’s time to finally buy a copy of Word and quit converting files. It will take some adjustment, but I’m one of those people that learn by doing.
