A Good Goodbye (I hope)

 

Selling my car has been easier than I thought.  I mean the actual selling of it.  I haven't actually turned over the keys, so that trauma has yet to occur.  Two guys in my garage made offers and a third is waiting in case the deal falls through.  Pretty popular for the oldster, I'd say. And well deserved.

 I broke the news to my donut lady this morning. We took a moment together as she completely understood.  I noticed the gal behind me in line waiting to be served and I apologized for keeping her waiting.  "That's ok," she said.  "I love it when people take time to be friendly."

Happy Brithday

 Sixty Seven year ago today I embarked upon what could still be thought of as an unusual method of childbirth.  I put my faith in a doctor who offered hypnosis and deep breathing instead of drugs.  My son Bill cooperated spectacularly!  His trip into this world took only a few hours from arrival at the hospital to resting with him in my arms.

So Happy Birthday Bill.  There’s so much to celebrate is this crooked trip with hopefully more to explore.

In The Family

  

Jim and Joan

My nephew Jim went to MIT and on to a career in the field of medical devices.  Now that my heart needs a little help, as does the heart of my favorites Bill and Phyllis, I asked Jim if he was literally going to have "a piece of my heart" as he does sentimentally.

"I've worked on a lot of stuff, not specific to heart, and have had a few inventions," he said.

That's close enough for me.  Bravo to Jim and his clever colleagues!

He Was Somebody

 

Here in Chicago, we were used to seeing Jesse Jackson these last years in his diminished state.  Still out and about, but yet…

So when he died last week, I was so glad to know he is still a national story. I liked spending time again with his presidential campaigns and his influence in the Democratic party and on the country.

But best of all was the clip of his time with the children reciting :  “I am somebody,” 

Thanks Jessie.  It’s tough — but important right now — to “Keep Hope Alive.”

Run for Something

 Kevin Ryan

This upcoming election presents a rare opportunity.  Because Jan Schakowsky and Dick Durbin have (finally) decided to leave, the ballot (finally) has some fresh faces.  I’m not talking about the ones who desire a better place on the chess board. The ones who know the game is to raise the money for TV and hope the spots are clever enough to do the job.  The ones who never knock on your door or show up at the corner coffeeshop or tavern. 

AOC and Mamdani made it all the way.  It’s so exciting when it happens.  And so rare.  I’m not expecting it to happen in Illinois, but I’m going to enjoy my vote.  If you haven't heard of Kevin Ryan for Senate, I urge you to take a look.  He’s for the “good things” we say we want and know we deserve and lament that we never seem to get.  I haven’t looked that closely into Kat Abughazaleh for Congress, but I applaud her willingness to “run for something” like Michelle Obama urged us all to do.

And these two did.

Bird on the Balcony

 My friend Naomi is a bird watcher. As we chatted about her interest, I remembered a time when I felt that a bird was watching me.  My condo in Oak Lawn had a balcony. At some point I began to notice a bird that just seemed to be there when I was sitting outside or when I looked out the window in the morning.

It wasn’t a fancy bird, the kind that probably captures Naomi’s eye.  Probably a sparrow. I began to feel “visited” by this little creature.  That, in turn, allowed me to fashion this story: The bird held the spirit of my father who had died when I was a child.  He had found me and come to keep me company.  

I’ve taken the opportunity to create these stories a few times. When an incident or oddity ignites a spark.  We all need something…

A Conversation

 

My friend Elaine said: "You should write more."  Which started me thinking of Eleanor Roosevelt.  She wrote a six day a week newspaper column -- MY DAY-- from 1935 until 1962!

As if it were a letter to a friend, she recounted her activities and expressed her perspective on current events, always encouraging activism, peace, and human rights.

I met her once.  It was when I was working for Adlai Stevenson's presidential campaign and she came to our offices.  As she shook my hand, I noticrd she was wearing bright red nail polish!  Unexpected indeed.

My friend Elaine says she enjoys having conversations with dead ones she knew.  Good idea. I'm going to ask Eleanor about her courage, her compassion and, if we get around to it, her nails.