I had an unusual weekend. I had nothing planned except Mariners baseball and reading my heavy Willie Mays book.
On saturday the phone rang and a woman said that she, her husband and a couple from Sweden had run into someone who said that he knew a ninety year old Swedish woman who would love to practice her Swedish with someone. It was confusing for me too. I said, yes I would love to speak my old language with someone. The person who called put her Swedish friend on the line and we chatted for a while. And it was good to hear and the person came from the province next to the one I was born in. I came from Skane and the person on the phone lives in Smaland. Where Orrefors glass comes from. It was a short, interesting little interlude and I went back to my book
Sunday I was in the bathroom cleaning Edgar's cat box. The phone rang and by the time I made it to the phone it had stopped ringing. And so eventually I went back to my book with the game in the background. (they lost the third game in a row) It was nice to read about a sixteen inning game pitched by Warren Spahn and Juan Marichal at Candlestick Park and Willie Mays finally hit a home run and won the game. I drew a happy sigh. There was a knock on the door and I called out COME IN. And there were the four people I mentioned earlier. They had tried to call and got no answer. They were on their way to Walmart to buy a bathing suit and decided to stop in.
My little living room filled up and it was a lovely time for me. Everything that had been confusing the day before on the phone turned into a lovely interlude. Four of the nicest people made my day. The Swedish gentleman is here to attend a convention of international importance. It begins today in Seattle and it deals with the future of the sources of power for the world. They all saw the photo of our four children meeting the King of Sweden and apparently the King's granddaughter is also attending the convention. If he had the chance he would tell her about the story of Anna sending her letter when she was a little girl inviting the King for 'tea or coca cola'.
And then when we were in my bedroom looking at a FAKE IT IN FABRICS his wife said, I love your art. And I have mine. It is my voice. And I mentioned a song my mother used to sing, about a bird that sat in the evening in the uppermost treetop saying
'Ive sung all day long but not sung enough. She then sang a song about a bird in the most powerful, beautiful voice that I will never forget. Even if I live to be a hundred, I will never forget her. We changed addresses and I know we will keep intouch by mail. What a great day!
5 comments:
Isn't it fun when strangers turn into friends?! What a lovely and surprising weekend! Thank you for sharing.
COOL!!!! Thanks goodness you had your new lipstick from the Mall trip!!!!! ha ha M & K
you are proof that living an open life and allowing experiences in instead of being afraid of them is the way to be. thank you, it's a nice reminder.
Wow, it really is a small world! My daughter was at the Mariner game on Sunday, her first time! : ) She is now in love with the center fielder because he has a nice smile!
Have a great day and thanks for sharing your interludes with us.
Dear Gertrude:
Happy Mothers Day!
I just re-found your blog. So you're a Willie Mays Fan? I've got a story...
We did an event for the Say Hey Foundation, Willie's charity. He came to lunch to thank us. In walked this black guy (not many of them in Napa Valley) and I was, for once in my life, at a loss for words.
After about one minute, I was having lunch with a new friend, not my childhood hero. He was telling a story about being stopped by the cops for an autograph on his way to my restaurant. I said to Willie, "Do you ever get tired of being Willie Mays?" He paused, and said, "Son, you can be anything you want to be, but you can't not be who you are."
Smart man.
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