Saturday 31 March 2001

Pic of the day: Another picture of the valley and the farm where I grew up (houses left of center). Not that it relates all that much to today's entry:

She's baaaack!

Well, no, obviously not my mother. She'll just have to wait for the resurrection with the rest. I'm talking about SuperWoman, the young woman who is my best friend and who I love approximately like myself. (OK, it's a bit hard to say for sure since I don't really know what I'd do if I were living apart from myself most of the time. But when we're together it seems approximately equal.)

In the morning's snail mail, I got a post card from her, stamped New York. In the afternoon, she called, presumably from her parents' place.

SuperWoman has been in New York, visiting her younger sister Cutie, who has stayed as a tourist for three months just outside NY. Now SW is back, and Cutie is coming next weekend. I had not forgotten how much I love my friend, but I had forgotten how much she loves to talk. So that was a pleasant surprise. It may not be obvious from reading this, but I have a hard time talking with people. I tend to just listen, and say very little. This is not the way I was born; it is probably due to decades of living alone. I don't speak a lot to myself, though I sing quite a bit. Anyway, I really appreciate when others make most of the conversation.

***

Refreshingly, SW made no attempt to pity or comfort me. She knows me too well for that. Of course, talking with her did cheer me up a bit. As usual, she left a couple memorable quotes ...

On my father and his grandchildren: "They say you should buy old folks a dog." (I guess Bambi and the Bambi Kid do at least as well ...)

On credit cards: "I wish I had your card in New York."

On student economy: "I started my studies with a car crash."

On family: "They say you can't choose your parents, but you can't choose your children either. Of course, when you choose a husband like my father, you must expect your children to be bastards. Uh, that was not the word I meant! I meant strong-willed."

***

You have always been such a good friend to me
through the thunder and the rain;
and when you're feeling lost
in the snows of New York
lift your heart and think of me.

Chris de Burgh, Snows of New York.