My grandmother, Nanny, died when I was 5, but I loved her with all my young heart. Even as a kindergartener, I could tell she was a gentle, kind, sweet, loving soul.
Since she died, I’ve talked to her in my head every so often, but she’s never visited me in my dreams. So, imagine my surprise when I wake up from a dream at four this morning with Nanny speaking urgently to me: “It’s behind the backyard at 525 Cramston. Go!” Continue reading
“I’m telling you, these are the best doughnuts in town,” my Florida friend claims.
“You know I don’t like doughnuts,” I whine. We haven’t seen each other in several years. Once roomies in college, now decades later Sue lives in FL and I live a thousand miles away. Finally, I find a break from work to visit her for three days. And she wants me to drive with her to a new doughnut shop.
The day is stormy and cool, not what I expect from a Florida winter break. Sue drives slowly and rather erratically in her SUV.
“Um, are driving rules different here?” I ask, putting my foot on the imaginary break as she pulls a hard right into a parking lot. Continue reading
I don’t know if I believe in Karma.
I’m not even sure what Karma is.
But, I am absolutely positive that I experience Karma this week.
It all begins with a smirk. Continue reading
My son-in-law (Sil) offers to pick me up in front of my hotel in Boston at 7:15 a.m. to drive me to his law office 8 minutes away. He promises that I can then drive his new Lexus hybrid to the suburbs 40 minutes west, where his wife (my daughter) and kiddies live.
He texts me 10 minutes before he arrives so I’ll have time to hop on the hotel’s busy elevator and meet him outside the lobby doors. I wear my black jogging pants and a long-sleeved yellow sweatshirt, so bright it can burn eyes, like looking at the sun too long. I don’t want him to miss me.
I step out of the wide doors into the taxi-laden street just as Sil pulls up. He jumps out of the car, stating, “You might as well drive me to the office, then just drop me off and go on your way.”
I’m thinking he wants to see how well his mother-in-law handles his precious car.
But Sil is staring intently at a man walking by, in his 50s, professional-looking, suited for business. “Hello Judge,” Sil shouts out, friendly-like.
The judge stops mid-pace and walks over to Sil and me, and Sil immediately introduces me to the judge as his “Mom-in-Law from California.”
As the Judge shakes my hand he peers straight into my eyes and says, “This guy is one of the finest lawyers I’ve worked with. He’s always prepared and organized.”
Without skipping a beat I respond, “Well, I’ll tell you a secret about him.”
Poor Sil’s face loses color – he never knows what to expect from me.
The judge leans in.
“He is the finest son-in-law I’ve ever known.”
The Judge smiles, shakes Sil’s hand, and departs.
Sil shakes his head in wonder. “That judge is harder on me in court than any other one in Boston. How’d that just happen?”
“Karma.” I answer, wisely. “You pick up your mother-in-law in front of her hotel and let her drive your Lexus…
And
Good Things Happen.”
Happy Birthday to my Wonderful, Karmic, Generous and Kind Son-in-Law!
roughwighting 