Lynn M. Dixon's Blog, page 18

High Road to Ann Arbor!

In the early 90’s my mother and I took a Greyhound trip to Ann Arbor, Michigan from the Chicago area.  She often agreeably accompanied me on my many excursions after she was widowed. Whether it was author book-signings, literary conferences, missioned road trips or whatever I ventured to do, she was ready to go along. This time, I had an interview as I sought to get into a library school to further my career.

Many library schools around the country had closed by that time, so I was excited to see that the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor still had an impressive program.  This particular trip held a special intrigue for both of us for multiple reasons. I was born in Michigan and it is where she met my father and had her daughters. So, a return to the place of my humble beginnings was a win-win situation.

This time, we decided to take the Big Hound and leave the hassle of driving to the driver.  The weather was dry and mild and it may have been early spring.  We sat back, read and mostly enjoyed the flat, beautiful Midwestern landscape. There were no bumps in the road, nor negative occurrences and once we arrived in Ann Arbor, things continued to flow smoothly.

We had a nice, comfy hotel room and I do remember us walking and visiting some nearby small shops. Everything was low-key which is one of the beauties of college towns.  It was a calm, dream setting for educators and librarians and we both had worked in both fields.

As I think back, it may have been spring break because I do not recall a flurry nor rush of students. I do remember climbing the steps of the building where I met the library professors as I gathered lots of information about the library program.  Some coursework took two years or longer so a lot of thought and money would have to go into taking on such a feat.

Ultimately, the timing was off and the dots did not connect for me entering library school at that time. (But, it did many years hence!)  I was not discouraged nor did I regret making the trip.  When we returned to the hotel, there was some festive event going on the restaurant/bar area downstairs. People were happy and simply enjoying life.  It added to our joy as well.

And yes, of course, before we left the famed University of Michigan campus, we visited the bookstore. I bought many mementoes such as a refrigerator magnet with the school colors (yellow and blue) and logo, bookmarks and other sacred keepsakes that I kept for years.

As I look back during this time when memories continually flow to the top, I am happy that we took that scenic journey. It was the last time that we were in Michigan together, the place where it all started for our family.  I am truly blessed, indeed for that great opportunity!

Lynn M.
April 23, 2022

Unity Village

Unity Village Fountain

In the spring of 1994, my mother and I both agreed that it was time to take that trip to Unity Village in Lee’s Summit, Missouri. We were once again teaching at the same college in a south suburb of Chicago, as we had done years earlier in Memphis. Coincidentally, we had also gone to college together and when I saw her the hallways, I’d say “Hi, Ma!”

She had introduced all of us to the small, yet power-packed book called Daily Word. Her Aunt Myrtle had shared it with her when she was a young woman living Detroit. Hence, she and I attended Unity churches in Chicago and Memphis. Our Chicago minister gave long descriptive talks about her time spent at Unity Village, so it definitely was on our bucket lists.

I purchased Amtrak train tickets and I thought that going First Class would help both of us relax after working with college students. We left from Chicago’s Union Station as we looked forward to enjoying the serenity of Unity Village.

To my dismay, the First Class car was quite small and we were in there with a large, noisy family. There was a crying baby and a wandering toddler and they never seemed to calm down during our eleven- hour trip. They broke my peace into pieces, but I had to go along to get along. Ma and I later found the humor in it by imitating some of their antics.

When we finally arrived in Lee’s Summit, we took a cab to Unity Village. It was a large, grassy complex and it exuded peace. Though I had rented two rooms, I ended up staying in my mother’s room because it was large and it felt the safest. Money was lost there but, oh well.

We stayed a couple of nights and these are a few of the highlights that I remember once we ventured out of our cozy room. The food was excellent in the cafeteria. Each table had a copy of Daily Word propped up as a centerpiece. That was an added plus as we enjoyed the good food after such a long train ride.

The weather was dry, mild and pleasant. We spent time in the Silent Unity Chapel and I remember a beautiful, stained glass window with a huge white dove displayed behind the altar. We sat in the silence and quietly reveled in the fact that we had finally made it there. We had spent years reading the writings of Charles and Myrtle Fillmore, Catherine Ponder, Emmett Fox along with so many other great, inspirational authors.

But our trip to the Unity library and bookstore stood out the most. My mother decided to make a photocopy of the Daily Word message from each of her children’s birthdates. So, we spent time going through the archives to locate the years of 1945, 1947, 1948 and 1950. She made copies of each daughter’s birth date message and later gave each their personal copy. I still have mine!!

The experience was great and obviously, the train ride back to Chicago was quiet and uneventful because I don’t remember it. We felt satisfied that we had made the trek. Years after her passing in December of  2002, Unity Village sent me literature saying that they were building a new fountain. We were invited to help place the bricks around the fountain by purchasing a brick engraved with the name of a loved one. I didn’t hesitate to purchase one to honor my mother’s memory.

To my delight, after a special request, a Unity staff person went out and took pictures for me. This was in 2013 because I certainly did not plan on making that long trip again. Here is calming picture of the new fountain and the paver with my mother’s name on it!  How glad I am!!

Lynn M.
April 14, 2022

For my mother!

Creating Your Own Wealth!

Prosperity is first, a state of mind. Some feel rich with minimal amounts on hand. Others have loads in their pockets, but still experience feelings of uncertainty and unhappiness. They cannot level off and stop striving for more.

A flush of rich ideas is a gold mine. List them and put together a plan and work it. That is what the visionaries did and many amassed great amounts of wealth. But some had no peace of mind. They were not able to say, “I have enough!” It’s comparable to a person who keeps eating when the tummy is full. Thus, they become bloated and that is never a good look.  As one caterer-aunt used to say, “Know when to push back from the table.”

Wealth is truly having what is needed and being able to find peace within as life rolls on. It takes hard work, perseverance and study. Reading the gurus who teach the laws of prosperity can bring everlasting peace. Try visiting the self-help section of the bookstore. Purchase their books and underline, highlight, take detailed notes and learn to apply the laws.

Then, take a personal inventory and see what is putrid and toxic. Delete the nay-sayers and start building up from the ground floor. It may take years, but lay a solid foundation and develop those God-given talents. Then, there will be a less likelihood of trying to take what others have acquired by the sweat of their brows.

Confidence strengthens with small successes. They may be baby steps but they are better than no steps at all. Don’t worry about what others appear to have because no one knows what is truly going on behind closed doors.

Create your own wealth and then you can safely claim it as your own!  Write down your plan, work it and build up, one block at a time. And most importantly, know when you have enough! Then stand back. Smile!  Breathe and glow!

Lynn M.
April 10, 2022

South Station: Setting Trends-Part 2

In the early 2000’s, South Station in Boston was like a mini city to me. It is where my train arrived when I came in from NYC and after I settled in and was hired, it was my lunchtime hang-out. There were a variety of eateries, small shops, kiosks selling Bean Town souvenirs, flower shops, shoeshine men and a small Barbara’s Bookstore located in the center of the station, to name a few. 

I was in a holding pattern in my life as I waited for a quiet storm to pass over. I cannot say that I understood that at the time, but once I landed there, I was determined to make the best of things. Most days were good as I met people from all walks of life; yet a lot of the New England area felt quite foreign to this Midwestern transplant. 

I lived in South Boston and then moved into Boston’s historic Back Bay area. I rented a teeny tiny studio on Commonwealth Avenue and flourished there. I soon saw that Boston was indeed a walking town, so I picked up a pictorial map of the area, went to The Tannery on Boylston Street and purchased some good walking shoes. When that pair began to show wear, I later went to The Tannery in Cambridge near the Loeb Theatre and bought some newer walking shoes. 

And I walked and walked and walked. I recently heard a line from the movie, Sabrina that made me think about my own life. She said that she found herself in Paris. I can safely say that I found myself in Boston. I was far from the maddening crowd, and I was able to breathe, think and walk while listening to inspiring music.  

As life would have it, South Station, my entry point, remained central to my Boston life. Even after changing jobs, me and the station continued our relationship. There was never a dull moment there whether I was eating, shopping, making a train connection or running into old colleagues. 

When I begin to question my purpose for being in Boston, I found ways to comfort myself. I often purchased fresh flowers to give myself that needed boost. And guess what? One day while standing on the subway platform as I waited for a train, I did a double take. There were several women holding on to their bouquets of flowers as I embraced mine. 

I thought, “Wow! Did I just start a new trend? We all silently stood there looking like princesses as we waited for the train. We were showering ourselves with self-love and invisible hugs! 

Lynn M. 
April 7, 2022 

An Unintentional Trendsetter- Part 1

When I was in graduate school at Jackson State University in Jackson, Mississippi, I was living on a tight budget. I worked as a graduate assistant while studying, but guess what? We were paid once a month! No, I kid you not. Once a month in the 20th Century. 

A close friend from the area had a standing joke as he tried to lighten the pain of it all. He said the Southern man hiring would ask the new employee, “Do you want to be paid $40 a month or $10 a week?” The humor laid in the fact that the amounts were the same, both mounting to a small hill of beans. 

So, in 1977, the pay was minimal, and I had to learn how to try to stretch it from month to month. That was the law of the land at the University.  After my disbelief turned into belief, I did my best but, sometimes I simply was not able to make those ends meet each other. 

One day, my car was on E, meaning, Empty. Nada. No gas! I knew that I could not call in because my strict boss was not hearing it and I was not about to ask him. What was I to do? As Plato said, “Necessity is the mother of invention.”  I thought. I didn’t live that far from campus, so I decided to ride my bike to work. I had a yellow bicycle that my father had assembled for me some years earlier. 

It was a push, but I rose early and propelled my way to the campus. After arriving, I took the bike up the elevator to the 9th floor of the Administration Building and parked it somewhere close to my workstation. Nobody said anything and I certainly did not say that I was out of gas. 

I do not remember any verbal protests, but obviously my trek had not gone unnoticed. I guess they thought that the Chicago girl was just exercising her freedom. And the next day, several of the women rode their bikes to work! I laughed to myself and thought, “If they only knew the real reason behind my brave trek.” Thus, I became an unintentional trendsetter! 

Lynn M. 
April 2, 2022 

Thinking Allowed!

Libraries are quite like college towns. Both can be safe havens and places where thinkers can flourish. Many students rather be in the library during lunchtimes to avoid the bullying, boisterous behaviors, and loudness of school cafeterias. In kind, people who use their minds to do every day work appreciate and cleave to college towns. They often offer them a place to think and function at a level of clear-headedness. 

Some spirits simply cannot take the volumes of music turned to 50, or the brashness and crudeness of some subcultures. When referring to absent-minded professors, they may not be absent-minded. Their work simply involves a lot of moving parts and pieces just as an orchestra has several instruments that make up the whole. If everything does not come together, there will be noise instead of a harmonious symphony. Great results take both thought and skill on the parts of many participants.

So, yes, those sacred spaces such as libraries and college towns allow thinking. It is not only okay to think, but thinkers are welcomed, respected and encouraged by those who understand that yes, nerds do run it. If no one is thinking, the ship and all who are traveling on it will sink. The problem-solvers will be in short supply and few will be around to upright and stabilize the situation at hand.

Quite like chess games, methodical answers take time, deep thought and concentration. Rash, quick moves as in a game of checkers may give immediate results but short-lasting wins. Ultimately, no one really wins because the renegotiations will soon start all over again. Cooler heads do indeed prevail, and those cooler heads can find those hidden answers in a calm, peaceful environment where thinking is allowed. Oftentimes, a library or an atmosphere comparable to a quaint college town is the perfect place to truly get the job done! 

Lynn M. 
March 26, 2022 

Spring Break -2012

Lynn in DC-2012

It was the spring of 2012. I had always planned to go to Washington D.C. at some point in my life. With our first African American President in office and the MLK Statue having been recently unveiled, I knew that the time was right. Plus, I had donated dollars to the MLK project and the thought of cruising down on a train beckoned me. I had always wanted to experience the luxury of a sleeper car, so I vowed, “Now is the time.”

I made my reservations through Amtrak Vacations which included a sleeper with a private bathroom and shower, hotel accommodations and other amenities. I went alone during spring break while working as a school librarian and I immediately saw it as a win-win situation. 

After arriving at Union Station in Chicago, the passengers were put on a luxury bus called Eclipse. I forgot the extenuating circumstances, but we were treated well and fed on the bus as we headed to Toledo, Ohio. I saw that as a good omen because my parents took their wedding vows there. It was night when we entered Toledo and a beautifully lit bridge warmly welcomed us.

From there, we boarded the Capitol Limited train and headed on down to Washington DC. I was in seventh heaven with my private quarters and private bathroom. I took copious notes as I always do and relished in the peace, solitude and scenery. When we passed through Harper’s Ferry, I took pictures and in my mind’s eye, I could see the battles of the Civil War on the hilly terrain. 

A newspaper was delivered outside my door, and it added to the royal treatment that I enjoyed on the way there. When I went to the dining car, the wait staff lavished me with little tokens of appreciation. As, I sat alone, one staffer added a rose in a vase while another quietly walked by and added other fine pieces such as special napkins, utensils and the small things that said, “We see you.” In a matter of minutes, my table went from bare to being highly adorned.

Once we arrived at the DC train station, it was busy and one couple who I had spoken with earlier was hurried to a shuttle bus. I believe that they lived there and were returning home if my memory serves me correctly. After inquiring, I soon learned that my hotel was in walking distance, so I rolled my luggage and walked a few blocks with the Capitol Building in view. To my astonishment, I saw the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Building sitting next to the entry of my hotel, The Liaison Capitol Hill. All I could think was, “Daddy.” He had been a teamster member of Local 667 in Memphis, and I felt his protecting presence. 

I settled into my room and made plans for my short stay in DC. The next day, I boarded an Old Trolley tour bus in front of the hotel and quietly affirmed, “Let the games begin!” Here are some landmarks that I saw from a distance: The Jefferson Memorial, The Washington Memorial, The Capitol Building, The Smithsonian Museum, The Government Printing Office, what was left of The Occupy Movement, The WWII Memorial and The Ford Theatre, to name a few. I soon realized how compact the area was and we were allowed to get on and off of the bus at our discretion.

I got off to see the MLK Statue and marveled at its height and majesty. I took many pictures. Later, I got off for the Lincoln Memorial and I climbed the stairs. I thought of Marian Anderson who sang on the steps after being denied the right to sing inside of the White House. I thought of Dr. King giving his famous, I Have A Dream speech. There were many people gathered around President Lincoln sitting in his chair. I took as many pictures as possible of both him and his historic words inscribed on the walls. I also ate right outside the Lincoln Memorial where tables and chairs were set up close by. There was tarp over the reflecting pool that Jenny walked in during the movie, Forest Gump due to some type of renovation.

I walked over to the Vietnam War Memorial and there was a quiet hush as people silently grieved for all those who were either lost or for those who returned maimed physically, emotionally and in many cases, both. Every household from my era was impacted in some way from that War. I also took pictures of the Korean War Memorial as the ghostly faces shone on the walls. The statues of the soldiers with their artillery under their rain gear were quite memorable.

I continued to take multiple trips around DC and again jumped off the bus to get closer to The White House. We were allowed to get reasonably close to the South Lawn and I took pictures along with others. But most importantly, I actually went inside the Library of Congress. On the way in, I saw a group of children singing on the steps of the Supreme Court Building and of course, I snapped a few pictures. Once inside the Library of Congress, I took pictures of the beautiful ceiling and some of the statues. I saw the Thomas Jefferson Library Exhibit. I had previously studied his U-shaped design for retrieving his books. I visited the LOC bookstore to buy a few mementoes. 

This is merely an overview of what could be seen in DC, but I am just happy that I had finally made it there. The weather was great, the cherry blossoms were in bloom, and I was indeed a happy camper. So glad about it!

Lynn M. 
March 19, 2022 

Hot Houston!

Christmas 1971, I flew from Chicago to Houston to visit Napoleon Bonaparte and his family. No, not the Napoleon Bonaparte because it was not in the 1800’s. This one had another name attached on the end but yes, his mother named him for greatness. Anyhow, to my shock, it was about 80 degrees and the only thing that saved me wardrobe-wise was the fact that it was the era of the hot pants. So, I did not have to go shopping to pick up new clothes. 

His family, though meeting me for the first time, lavished me with gifts as he always did. I was in for so many treats during the few days that I spent there in hot Houston. Only pleasantries come to mind as I spent time with him, his mom, his sisters, and his brothers. The youngest brother kept us laughing. His youngest sister was highly fashionable, and I remember her hot pants adorned with some tall black leather over- the- knee boots. In Chicago terms, we would say that the boots were smoking! 

I must go far back down memory lane to envision my time there, but Paule Marshall, one of my favorite authors, wrote, “Sometimes a person has to go back, really back – to have a sense, an understanding of all that’s gone to make them—before they can go forward.” And I do intend to keep it moving. I distinctly recall some gigantic shrimp from one restaurant with high seasoning and one night, we went to a dinner club, not a nightclub, in the downtown area. While there, we saw and heard Johnnie Taylor sing to us in a small, quaint setting. All folks from Chicago knew Johnnie Taylor and loudly sang along when he said, “My last two dollars, I don’t want to use” in from song Last Two Dollars. Or we all danced to Taylor’s “Cheaper to Keep Her.” After the show, I we saw him talking to Tyrone Davis, another singer, over in a corner. He was close enough for us to touch him! 

The family wanted to make certain that I saw Galveston before I returned to Chicago. We all packed into the car, and I think an older brother drove, but the fact that I do not remember means he must have been a safe driver. No scary moments. Along the way, we stopped to see their father who lived at another location. We took pictures and then we headed south to Galveston which is sits on the Gulf Coast. It is about an hour’s drive down. 

We were serenaded by the renowned Isaac Hayes. He was burning up the charts at that time and the movie Shaft, was a huge hit. Hayes composed the film’s score. Around the same time, he had an album called Hot, Buttered Soul which we listened to in the car. He had us all spellbound as he first told the story and then finally sang the tune, By the Time I Get to Phoenix. He made us wait for it and that song will be forever etched in my mind. It is over 18 minutes long and we were all quiet as we held on to his every word while he took us on a long journey into a man’s deep pain. Little did I know that many years hence, my main character in my series of books would be named Phoenix. Who knew? (Probably the literary gods.) 

When we made it Galveston, I remember it being overcast. Afterall, it was December. We took loads of pictures as we all took turns posing on the rocks. I held onto those pictures for years, but now that they are gone, I repaint that experience here. That is the only time I have been to Houston, but I can put a check by that city’s name and say, “Been there. Done that.!” I had a glorious time! 

{If you have an extra 20 minutes, or if you want to clean the oven or spruce up the house, push play and enjoy the incomparable Isaac Hayes do his thing, like no other!} 

Lynn M, 
March 15, 2022 

Heading North!

In the summer of 1980, my contractual job ended, my lease was expiring, and I felt as if I was in dire straits. I talked to my friend, Twiggy, a fellow writer and fellow transplant while we both lived in Atlanta. She was like that ram in the bush. She knew someone in Ohio who was the director of a summer program called Upward Bound. 

Ohio Wesleyan University

This was pre-internet days, but she made the phone call. It was a connection, so I pulled out my trusty road maps, packed up my Buckhead apartment with the help of another angel friend and when all systems said go, I headed north to Columbus, Ohio. 

Once there, I met my soon to be boss and she graciously accommodated me for one night as we made one another’s acquaintance. The next day we headed up to Delaware, Ohio which is the home of Ohio Wesleyan University, where we would be stationed for the summer. I was hired as the Education Coordinator who led and advised the other teachers. 

The staff was made up of people from all walks of life who converged there to make some summer money and to work with the inner-city youth from Columbus. Many were fresh college graduates, but one stood out from us all. He was an actor from New York whose very presence demanded attention. Over time, he started calling me Evita Peron and the musical, Evita, was out at that time. Whenever, I entered a room, in this loud bellowing voice, he started singing, “Evita, Evita!” I would just laugh. 

We silently doubted whether he was a real actor, but as fate would have it, a few years hence, I saw him in Spike Lee’s first movie, “She’s Gotta Have It.” I was speechless as I sat there and watched him on the big screen. And a few years after that, I saw him as a lead character in the movie Daughters of the Dust about the Gullah people, on television. (Research that.) 

Our housing accommodations were great on the campus. About three of us had a huge fraternity house which was empty for the summer. We had about three rooms apiece and we shared the kitchen and the living room. One day, we all stood frozen in front of the television as we watched the story of Richard Pryor’s freebasing accident. Time stood still as we wondered if he would pull through. As we now know, he went on to recover and continued to make films though we feared that we had lost him at that time.

There were the daily challenges of dealing with young teens who were often frustrated, angry and filled with pent up emotions, but that is the purpose of the Upward Bound program. We were there to let them know that there are other ways to live, and to let them see the beauty and peace of Delaware. I love college towns because they are often quaint, safe and peopled with those who both read and think. 

On weekends, if I felt as if the walls were closing in on me, I would drive to Columbus, rent a room and just breathe. Or I would meet friends who were locals that had swimming pools at their apartment complexes. But, whenever, I entered back into Delaware, it was like re-entering an enchanted forest. There was a calm there. I later met another supervisor, Larry G. who referred to Ohio Wesleyan as that bump on the hill. (He had been there.)

That summer, I purchased my first collection of poems by Maya Angelou called, Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water ‘Fore I Diiie. That was the beginning of a long love affair with Dr. Maya because after that, I read almost everything that she wrote during her lifetime. I also found my first The Writer magazine and I subscribed to it for many years as I prepared for things to come.

Once, we drove up to Bowling Green State University for some job-related event. We were always looking for ways to enjoy the Ohio area. On another, occasion, I walked the grounds of The Ohio State University. That was special because it was the alma mater of my former supervisor from Mississippi. It had been a brave trek for him, and he made certain that I added the The in front of Ohio State University when I was typing for him. He was so proud of his specialist degree from that esteemed university.

Some other highlights include seeing the movie All that Jazz with Roy Scheider. The open-heart surgery scene was both graphic and memorable for me. At another point, I went to observe the young photography teacher show his students how to develop film in the huge darkroom at Rutherford B. Hayes High School. It was a real treat as I watched them learning those detailed techniques. 

Yes, I stepped out on faith that summer and I do not regret it! I will forever hold fond memories of Ohio Wesleyan University and my time spent in Delaware, Ohio. And no, I would not take anything for the journey as I navigated uncharted waters. I simply count it all joy! 

Lynn M. 
March 12, 2022 

On Benford Street!

Riverview School 2013

In 1961, our family lived in segregated Memphis, but we did not feel anything but happy and content. We lived on Benford Street and our street was lined with loving families on both sides of the street. There were the Brumleys next door, the Miles on the other side of the vacant lot, the Drapers behind us, the Guys and Bryants across the street alongside with the mysterious Mrs. West. 

As children, we walked and enjoyed everyday life and often visited the sundry stores often held in people’s homes. They sold pop (soda), candy and other goodies that made small children smile for miles. We always crossed the street to avoid passing Mrs. West’s home because rumor had it that she washed down her front steps with urine to keep the evil spirits away. We shunned that as kids and found it quite comical. 

One day, my sister and I were walking down Benford Street, and we found a letter as we walked home. We started reading it and every line begin with ‘So susta.” We giggled as we read it and to this day, we often greet each other with those words, so susta. It is our private joke and happy remembrances of times gone by.

We lived in a small duplex and the six of us seemed to fit in there just fine. My father used to fill our family station wagon with us and as many neighborhood kids as he could get in the car. Then, he drove us around the town because he knew that some of them had never left Benford Street before, so it was a real treat. My mother was the school librarian at Riverview School which was a few blocks up the street. That is where I fell in love with the little blue biography books of famous people.

There was also huge vacant lot right next to our duplex. It served as our neighborhood playground. Whenever, Mrs. Miles came to the porch with a pan of hot pound cake, all playing ceased immediately. We ran to her front porch to make sure that we got a piece of that delicious cake. Those were the days! 

On Saturdays, we had to do our chores such washing, hanging out the clothes on the clothesline, mop and clean our tiny house. Afterwards, we were allowed eat popcorn and drink Kool-Aid as we watched Tarzan and Shirley Temple movies. One cousin had her hair curled in Shirley Temple curls. Boy, did we envy her! When the local show called Pride of the Southland came on, we usually called it a day and went outside to play or do other things. Playing jacks on the front porch was also a comforting pastime for me and my three sisters. 

On Sundays, I used to go to church with my friend Herdestine who lived next door. I was allowed to wear stockings or what we called nylons since I was dressed in my Sunday best. That was a highlight for me as I tried to figure out what the moaning bench (mourning bench) meant though she tried to explain it to me. On weekdays at the school, we had one classmate who showed us how to take a penny and turn the date upside down and it would still say, 1961. That is how I remember the year. It was also a time when we would run up and down the school yard when we heard that the green men were sighted. (An era to be researched) They supposedly had come to earth from outer space with the astronauts. I know. Kids, right? 

My mother’s sister, my aunt and her family lived at the other end of Benford. It was a very long street and especially if we were walking. Once the sisters were having a feud over some thread and a needle or something. They were exchanging hot letters and we had to deliver them, but we did not care. We enjoyed the long walks and the cool breeze as we talked and sang along the way.

It was on Benford, that I made up a name for my daughter. That did not happen, so I borrowed it for myself and used it as a pen name. When, I fondly reflect on the time spent on Benford Street, the lyrics come to mind, “Precious memories, oh how they linger.”

Lynn M.
March 5, 2022