Fear of Cats

Fear of Cats

My mother was terrified of cats.
When she visited an older woman
in our neighborhood at night, when
it was time for her to walk home
she would telephone me and I
would walk across the street to
walk home with her to protect
her in case she encountered a cat.
I really wish now I knew why she
was deathly afraid of cats, why
she would scream when she saw
one. I don't know what she thought
they would do. Her fear was intense.
there were two cats I knew who
terrified me as well. One lived with
a family I babysat for. The cat,
a big one with penetrating eyes,
would sit across the room and
stare at me. Its eyes would follow
me wherever I went. It seemed
threatening to me, and I wished it
would just leave me alone. I could
hardly wait until the woman and
man got home. Then one time
when I lived with a crazy roommate
and was afraid one night I went
to sleep at the apartment of a friend
because I wanted to be safe.
She had a cat. I slept on the couch,
and all night this catannoyed me.
It sat on top ofthe couch, waved its
tail in my face. I had dreams of
suffication. If I turned on my side,
it would put its head in my
face, breathe on me. One time
it pounced right onto my stomach.
I could not sleep, and I wished I had
stayed in my apartment with the
crazy roommate there, as it
couldn't have been any worse
than enduring a night with this
cat. On top of it all, it made
me sneeze. At this point in
my life I am not afraid of cats.
I can look at them and even
find some of them beautiful,
but they still make me sneeze.

Raw End of the Deal

Raw End of the Deal

In his last week of swim lessons
he got a teacher that didn't like
to get in the water. She preferred
to stand on the side of the pool
with a towel around her swim suit
and to direct children from her
high perch. On Wednesday I
strongly hinted to her that he
learns by being shown, not by
being told. He didn't even listen
to her as she stood above telling
how to do the butterfly, and he
wasn't alone. Such a contrast
to his former teacher who was
always right in the water with
the kids, moving their arms, their
legs, encouraging them every
foot of the way, giving high
fives in the water for a job
well done. I thought about
complaining, but I kept my
thoughts to myself. After all,
it was the last week of summer
lessons. I didn't expect him
to pass fish this time anyway
as he was the youngest in
the class, and it is a hard
level,and kids generally have
to take it more than once, but
it bothered me nonetheless
that for the last swim session
of the summer he got someone
who didn't wish to get wet,
someone whose face remained
expressionless, who knew
technicalities but had no warmth.
No one passed in this fish class,
not one child. When that happens,
I question why. I think all these
kids got the raw end of the deal,
but there is always another year.

Purple Rain

Purple Rain

Purple rain would be fun to see
something unusual, out of ordinary,
something to smile about, tell
tales about, an experience to
pass to the next generation, or
something to bring on televiion
crews or to share on You-Tube,but who
would really believe purple rain?

Halves

Halves

Half of something is okay, half a sandwich
can be enough some days, a half dollar
can be used for parking, half full is good
when you are checking your gasoline gage,
half pound of meat is more than enough,
half finished with a book is a good start,
half of somehing can be good or bad
depending on point of view.

Painted Toenails

Painted Toenails


Diane introduced me to painted toenails
before then I never imagined them for myself
thought it was a luxury few could afford
certainly not me but now I enjoy painted
toenails particularly in summer when
I can have violet toenails which I can look
at and which always remind me of my dog.

There was No Telling

There Was No Telling

There was no telling me anything.
I knew how to raise kids. If I loved,
had patience, smiled, was fair,
gave of myself in every possible way
how could they not turn out just fine,
appreciate, love in return, no problems
ever, everything a breeze. Ya, right!

A New Age Dawning

There is always a new age dawning
no matter which moment, hour,
day, or year. What will happen
next will always be new, unexpected.
No one really knows what will occur
next even if one thinks one does.
Life often throws curveballs. Surprise
is inevitable, sometimes for better,
sometimes for worse. Expect
the unexpected as a new age dawns.

I Had Forgotten....

I Had Forgotten

1.
I had forgotten so many details
until I looked at the photos taken
and then the memories returned.


2.
I had forgotten, or tried to forget,
what he was really like, but it did
not take much to make me remember.


3.
I had forgotten how wonderful a summer day can be
until today when it was pure bliss to take a long walk
in the morning and to spend the afternoon in our pool.

4.
I had forgotten the excitement of finding coins
left in vending machines until Isaac experienced
a streak of luck at finding them. Friday he found
three quarters, an unusually good day, and I was
delighted when he asked if we could go to Goodwill
so he could use his well-earned quarters in
vending machines there to buy new toys, a bouncey
ball an a little ring for his finger. No greater joy
for a five-year-old than to spend earned money.


5.
I had forgotten how fast Tulip could walk until we took her
on a walk this morning and she set the pace, a marathon
pace. She walked two-and-a-half miles at a fast pace,
faster than we would have walked without her. Then Diane
came and picked her up, as I feared she would tire out
before we did, but next time I will have her walk another
mile. I know she could have done this really. She is such
a wonderful walker.

6.
I had forgotten how much I liked roasted vegetables until
I bought beets at the farmers' market and we had to do
something with them, so I cut up beets, carrots, potatoes,
and green peppers, and we roasted them along with
chicken and had a wonderfully tasty dinner tonight.