Everyone Needs a Dictionary

“Music. Wine...the small luxuries of life are how we survive what the mind can’t fathom.” --Mark Sullivan, BENEATH A SCARLET SKY  

My cousin who is in the prison in Mississippi sent a nice note after she asked me to send her a dictionary. She was pleased by my sending it her way. After all, everyone needs a dictionary.

Wednesday, February 25th. Ash Wednesday.  

Dear cousin,  

How are you today? Thank you for brightening up my day. I always enjoy hearing from you. I noticed your letter was dated February 8th. Coincidentally, that was the date my late husband, Captain Harmon Donald Jr., was killed in Vietnam.  

Michael, I did receive the dictionary. Thank you. Did you not receive a card from me thanking you for it? I promise to use the dictionary.  

My love.  

Sandra Donald.  

My cousin, Edward, in Albuquerque sent a nice floral card this week with these eloquent words: 

February 28th, 1998  

Dear Michael,  

My niece, Denise, is back home and happy about it. The whole Korea experience was pure cultural shock. Although, I think the value of the whole experience will surface later. Now she is working on her Master’s and PhD simultaneously.  

The rainstorm you are having will get to us a couple of days later without the furious punch, but with lots of moisture. More snow here than in the last 20 years. Skiing has been great, but don't worry, at my age I'm skiing very conservatively and enjoying it more than ever. I am also spending more time at the Lodge.  

I hope Alan is not feeling too old sending his baby away to college, but it happens. I am sure she'll do great. Seems to have plenty of support.  

Dean and Renee are planning a Spring wedding. Dean, as you know, is my nephew and Denise's brother. I presume they will be coming home to New Mexico for that. They sure do love the Bay Area, although lately they've been affected by the rain, so I'm sure you all are. Enough is enough. My plans for Europe this summer are still in the planning stages. The only setback is whether Cliff Snyder will be able to go. Seems he's asked to teach a summer course, but he seems nebulous about it right now. If Europe does not happen, I'll probably come to Long Beach again in July for a week or so.  

Politics. I'm sure that all the above charges on Clinton are true but I am with the majority that it should be his own business. And with his fatal charm it is quite apparent, he should not have lied about it. I feel sorry for all the women in his life. I'd love to have that kind of loyalty and devotion, but I do think that the whole mess is going to have a great impact on our next government because even though the majority polled do not think it's important, they are not the ones that go to the polls to vote. It's all those folks that find it appalling that will go to the polls and protest. It will be interesting. OK, now I'm off my soapbox. I love you, Edward.  

PS – Wishing you a Happy Easter season. 

I wrote a postcard to Paloma to round off my week. I created the postcard myself by clipping a Disney image:

March 1, 1998 

Dear Paloma, 

How cool! You were in West Palm Beach. I have never been there. I've been to Florida a few times, though and I like Miami, South Beach area, Key West, and Coconut Grove the best.  

It has been raining here, something awful, but this weekend is just beautiful. It's like springtime here. It really is nice.  

I'm going to New York from April 3rd through April 11th. Alan's daughter, Lauren, is graduating from high school this June. She was accepted to New York University, she starts in September 1998, so we are going to try to get her more familiar with New York City.  

There were some fierce tornadoes in Central Florida about a week ago. It's a good thing you were not in that area. I'm having a family reunion at the end of August in Denver. I've never been to Denver, so that will be interesting.  

Not much else is going on. I highly recommend a new film called Great Expectations starring Ethan Hawke and Gwyneth Paltrow. It was so good; I am sure Titanic will win the Academy Award as Best Picture.  

Love, Michael 

“You know...the movie isn’t over till the music starts.” -Sebastian Fitzek, SPLINTER, first published in Germany in 2009