The words are from Bone. I give myself a 250 word limit, and hope that they make sense.
Of all the pictures, he liked the one where she was 22 and smiling as if she knew the best secret, most. Other people found that selection strange. They weren’t silent in stating that she didn’t look her prettiest, wasn’t dressed especially interestingly, her eyes looked closed, and none of her special qualities showed.
He alone remembered the day the photo was taken. On the drive back from Jones Beach, they had sung to Billy Joel songs neither would admit having listened to. She couldn’t stop giggling. The beach had that affect on her.
They parked near Phoebe’s, where The Bowery begins or ends. She stood at the doorway to the restaurant and smiled, her largest most real smile at him. Instinctively; he took the last shot in the Instamatic.
In her haste to become an icon of hip, she adapted different personas. He never understood why she didn’t realize that people liked her for herself and not because she drew trendy alter ego cartoons.
People didn’t really understand her but pretended to.
They imitated her, but never got her essence.
Something about her carriage kept people from invading her world.
He marveled that she let him into her life, and became part of his.
Decades later there was revived interest in her work. Kids came over and bypassed the better known shots of her pouting, made up, dressed…for the one he secretly called “Annie’s Essence.â€
He was overjoyed that Millennium kids got her.
243 Words
Here is an excellent article on the autism spectrum. I was a very cuddly friendly kid until puberty when I became totally unfriendly. Then, somewhere, in my late teens I changed again. Puberty and teens aren’t one and the same.
I read this and realize that it sounds as if I blame myself. That’s what happens when you have an undiagnosed condition. I’m not a suicidal person but I can understand it having driven teens and even older people to suicide. It can also lead to bad habits.
You don’t hear of many people my age having it, because most people either did kill themselves, became institutionalized as a consequence of many factors, found a job that they loved, never tried to work, or settled.
As I’m a social person who has always looked people in the eye etc., I’m atypical right there. I refuse to be defined by this condition. I also can’t deny it. It’s a hard balancing act. I would assume that the Michelle Malkins of the world think people bring on their own problems. If only life were that easy.
Today would have been my Dad’s birthday. He would have been too old as he wasn’t into getting old or life in the slow lane. He died in 91, scared to use a computer as he believed that he would become instantly addicted. Though he believed that computers would change the world and communication, he didn’t foresee it happening so quickly. I wouldn’t have been the only blogger in the family, and I don’t want to think about the possible ramifications.
I would have a drink for him but I don’t drink Postum. He was a conservative who found most conservatives to be boring. And he was socially “liberal” which didn’t make him a libertarian. Hate labelling. It just made him a decent complex person.
Don’t know what he would have thought of Michelle Malkin but this is an interesting article.
This article in Salon claims that liberal bloggers closed ranks around Edwards during the firing, hiring and quitting of “liberal” bloggers. It’s much more complicated than that. I know that most of my life can’t be found on Google, though it appears so.
People like Michelle Malkin especially who makes big bucks spreading hate shouldn’t be taken seriously by Democratic candidates. I was pro-bloggers who said much less hateful things for free than Malkin says for money.
The lesson I learned was that if you have a column in 150 papers you can say anything about anybody and be as nasty as hell, but if you’re a blogger who dares to defy the right, yu have to pass their tests to work for a Democrat. You also can’t be sarscastic, funny, opinionated or real. But Michelle can say that Democrats equate Bush with Hitler, and make still more money.
i did lose respect for Edwards because obviously there would be a Google trail to the bloggers work. If he, his wife and top campaign staff didn’t check it out they were fools. If they did and still began to cave in, they were bigger fools.
Salon had to cover its own ass as it did say the bloggers were fired. The Christian Science Monitor has a more even article on bloggers in the political work force.
This is a big deal to me as I do have very personal stuff out there, But it doesn’t define me, or in anyway reflect the real whole me. I use irony more than straight snarkiness so my humor is lost on many people. I use it for just that reason and because I love it.
Even when writing in a group blog I have stated that I speak for nobody but me. While we might hve the same or similiar goals we do have different opinions and stances.
Comments are appreciated on the story, maybe my Dad
You know I wait for these days, they have become a routine for me. I think your life is so rich you can conceive a story for anything.
I think Cooper’s last sentence hit the nail on the head.
This reminded me of everytime I’ve been to the beach, and all the memories I have there. I’ve never had a bad time at the beach. Probably should go more often.
I love this story. SO evocative, I can picture every moment so well.
You defy labeling which is one of the great things about you. Here’s to your dad.
Not this was a nice story of love.
NOW….I meant Now this was a nice story of love. (geez, my typing is becoming as bad as my spelling!)
This is it, Pia. Your writing style in a brief format.
Pia, you really painted a vivid portrait of your dad. Sounds like a fitting tribute to a life well led.
You’d have a drink on him but you don’t drink Postum–classic!
Great fiction, great post, and thanks for the great liinks. Will check them all out.