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Subj: good times, babe Date: 7/13/2003 12:10:12 PM Eastern Standard Time From: janeandmichael@msn.com To: Xeme2003@aol.com Sent from the Internet (Details) Dear CP, >> I do remember, "The Weight" I stopped doing that song because I never could do it justice. The Band does sections of it in an odd three-part harmony, and I always heard that in my head. I do like it though. By the way, I did pick up a guitar the other day, and again two days ago. My son sat and sang some songs with me. It was wonderful -- for me, at least. >> You sent me a Teddy Bear and I never, ever thanked you for it...THANK YOU FOR THE BEAR! You're very welcome. >> When I got engaged in 1974 the teddy-bear disappeared from my room. I had learned not to talk about you. Wise. For years, we had a hairbrush in our bathroom that devolved from Jane's "first love" back in high school and college. I never knew it had been his until years later. (I have since replaced it, though frankly, it really didn't bother me. I replaced it because the bristles were worn down.) At any rate, one day my acid-tongued daughter was looking through Jane's high school yearbook and Jane pointed out a picture of Hal, "the boyfriend." My daughter was horrified, and thought he was a huge gorp. She sneered and sarcastically commented "whoa, he's a big looker". Since then, his moniker has been "Big Looker." >> All my friends were jealous of you, my girl friend in Florida. And my husband to-be. I remember her. I also remember once making out with her in my kitchen while her boyfriend was passed out (stoned) in my bedroom, and thinking it was too bad he hadn't passed out elsewhere and left the bed available. >> I was nineteen and you were twenty-three. >> I learned so much from you! Really? What? >> Roman Catholic girl meets Jewish man. >> You gave me pomegranates and halvah(?) I'm still fond of both, though more so of halvah. It is one of my comfort foods. By the way, for what it is worth, my wife Jane is also not Jewish (though not Catholic either.) She has a BSN from Columbia, and when I met her, she was working as the charge nurse in a pediatric oncology unit at Sloane-Kettering. There's something about nurses... >> Jill will be nineteen in November, and she can be such a little snob. I hope I wasn't a pain or a snob. You were neither. In fact, you were an absolute delight. >> I remember that we both had other relationships going at the same time. I think your girlfriend was in Maine. Close. New Hampshire. >> You handled everything so well, no-one got hurt, and I have no regrets about our little tryst at all. Nor do I. >> You used to call all the girls that you liked "Babe" How embarrassing! I still do. I frequently call my wife that. Of course in those days, it was to make sure I didn't accidentally call someone I cared about the wrong name. >> It's really funny that you don't remember the dog thing, because that picture is really clear in my mind. Well, remind me then. Hey, I'm 53, and have trouble remembering what I had for breakfast (a common line from my kids). I do remember an incident with someone else's dog, but frankly, while the image is there, I don't remember whom it was with. >> The wolf thing: "What a long tongue you had, my Dear" That was one of the main reasons I came down the second time to Florida. Obviously, you tasted good. >> Judging by the picture on your website you hardly changed. Just gained a little weight is all. A little?!? Soon after I lost the use of my wrists, I switched from active physical work to a desk job, and hit 300 pounds more than a decade ago. These days, I say I weigh 21 stone. It sounds better. >> I really stayed just long enough in Miami. I can remember that your girlfriend from Maine(?) was coming down at Christmas, but she called one night and said that she wanted to come down for Thanksgiving, too. You were saying "oh, but that's so much money, Babe" I thought "hmmmm, time to go!" All in all, CP, you were incredibly wise (and tolerant) for a 19 year old. You really were a find. My luck must have been running very good indeed in those days. Incidentally, sometime later, she did move down to Florida. I put her through college, and we moved to NYC together. She went off to grad school in Rhode Island in 1978, and I stayed in NYC and became a luthier. She later married the fiddle player from my band. At the time, he was my best friend. He stopped speaking to me. I've spoken to him only once since then, and that was shortly after they were divorced. She, on the other hand, still calls me at least once a year. Jane hates her. (They first met when we were in NYC.) >> So I'm in the elevator with him and a pompous doctor that I know very well, gets in, too. He shook Mr. Lamb's hand and said "I always felt that when I retire, I might take up writing." To which Mr. Lamb replied "That's interesting. I feel when I retire, I might just take up medicine." Is that a true story? Or just apocryphal? It has appeared in one form or another in print for ages, including at least once in Reader's Digest (one of the companies I used to write for.) >> Do you find this to be true? What, that writers secretly desire to take up medicine? I think I am more understanding. I feel most everyone can, and should, write. It is not some great gift like being able to paint, or sing. When people say that to me (and, yes, they often tell me they would like to be published) I encourage them, tell them it is easier than it looks, and suggest they give it a stab. In fact, I have helped quite a few people get their first article published. One friend I got published eventually became the regular finishing columnist for Fine Woodworking, getting the position I had asked for and left the magazine when they refused to decide. I recently helped another friend get her first book published -- it came out last month. And of course, I have helped and encouraged my wife (you know..., "babe") get published. Both she and my daughter have been guest editorialists in our local (Tacoma) newspaper, and Jane has also had a story published in a book of collected works. Oddly, the book, called "The Moment of Truth" (edited by Kristin Beck) is a collection of stories by women about love affairs that went wrong. Jane's last name is different than mine, so don't look for Dresdner. It's McKittrick. Her story is called "London Frog" and is mostly true. The dirty little secret here in our family is that Jane is a far better writer than I, but because I write the right things for the right people, I make far more money at it. >> And you are right, your books are a little hard to find, but I am not giving up. Try www.taunton.com. They are my regular publisher and carry everything that is currently in print. Or go to www.amazon.com and type in "Dresdner" in the search engine for author. Remind me one of these days, and I will tell you some CA stories. >> Oh, do we have time for a story, please? Or, is it too close to unplugged time? It is too close to unplugged time. But do remind me later. >> Have a good and safe trip. Why thank you, ...er, babe!
UPDATED ON 4/14/05
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