IT'S BEEN A NICE DAY

Blog number 312 **** 01 July 2009

Back in the early seventies I worked in an office in the Air Force with a secretary. She was taking a literature course in Junior College. She let me read a short story in one of her books about a married Japanese couple that had to commit seppuku - Hari Kari to the uninitiated. The story was mostly a detailed account of what constitutes seppuku.

That story has remained in the back of my mind ever since.

Two days ago I finished reading a book called, "Rogue Messiahs" by Colin Wilson. It's an interesting book about people like Jim Jones and Alister Crowley, et al. Mentioned in the list of rogue messiahs was one Mishima Yukio, and mentioned in his list of stories and novels that he had written, was "Patriotism," which was that same story I had read lo those many years ago. It was like running unexpectedly into an old friend.

Then today, reading an autobiography by Robert Klein called, "The Amorous Busboy of Decatur Avenue," I find that Mr. Klein had directed a one-act play called, "Crawling Arnold" - a play in which I had a large part when I took Drama in Junior College. THAT was an even closer "old friend." I haven't been in all that many plays. One in seventh grade, one as a Senior in High School, and then Crawling Arnold. Three.
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Tonight we went to Mimi's for dinner. One of our favorite waitresses was just getting off work and Teresa stopped to talk to her. I, standing behind Teresa, heard this sweet voice to my right. I looked and a brunette about four years old was actively engaged with her family. I reached over and put my hand on top of her head. She didn't respond, but her mother told her, "That man said hi to you."

The little girl turned around, looked at me with pleasure and said hi. Then she scrambled to get out of the booth, hurried to me, grabbed me around the legs and gave me a big hug. What a surprise, after so many babies being afraid of me. I never expected that. Teresa saw this and said hi to the girl, so she ran to Teresa and gave her a big hug. She then proceeded to tell us who were her sisters, her brother, her Daddy and her Mother.

Sweet, sweet, child.