M: Marion

Posted on April 15, 2022 by hdh

M is for Marion

April 15, 2022

Dear Marion,

There are a lot of things that I never had a chance to tell you before you left us last year. I’m hoping that this letter gets to you and you are doing well where ever you may be right now. 

You were my older older sister. Eight years may not seem like much right now, but when we were growing up it made a difference. You were one of my tutors. Our likes were somewhat dissimilar but we managed to tolerate one another. 

You always tried to guide me in the ways of the world. You should know that I did listen some of the time, despite the fact that I never really could learn how to dance the Lindy. 

As I got older and I did heed the advice of both you and Leslie, my younger older sister, and chose to go to college away from home rather than stay at home and go to City College. That guidance was probably the best advice I ever took from you. 

Throughout college, your advice on drugs and the like, I followed. Though without your guidance, I probably would have still followed the path I took, just being the person I am. 

After college, we kind of reversed roles. I became your tutor for you, especially in regard to technology. In fact, it was through technology that I became even closer to you, for now, even though you lived in Austin, Texas, and Raleigh, North Carolina, I could communicate with you more frequently. I’m sorry I never came to visit you in either of your homes after you moved from New Jersey. 

As your condition worsened, I tried to communicate with you more frequently. Patience is one of my virtues so I spent the time talking with you and listened to all you had to say, even when you weren’t sure who I was.

One of the things that we don’t say to each other in our family enough is that we love each other. Though we always have, it was never spoken. Those last few months I made it a point to say it to you. 

Though we didn’t spend much time with each other after we both grew up and moved out of our parent’s home and onto our own lives, our family was always a strong part of me. I guess that’s why I spend time working on our genealogy and even found our half-brother in France. 

I hope you are happy where you are and look down upon us with the love and caring that you always had within you. 

You are and will always be missed.

                Your loving brother, 

                                 Harvey

 

Posted in A to Z Blog Challenge 2022, Personal Stories, Writing | Tagged , | 2 Comments

L: Looking Forward From the Future

Posted on April 14, 2022 by hdh

Looking Forward from the Future 

September 13, 2016

Hey, Harvey.

Happy birthday. Oh, what a time we’ve had so far. I’m not sure when you will get this letter, time travel being what it is, but either way, it’s time I shared with you some of the wisdom that I’ve gleaned from years of trying, making mistakes, succeeding, failing, and just doing. You know, you’re going to turn out okay.

 You’ll get to do a lot of the things you’re dreaming of doing and more. You’ll find the love of your life…eventually… so don’t get disheartened, not everyone marries in their 20’s. Spoiler alert, you’ll be 39. You’ll have a child, who turns out quite well, gets married and… Well, I’m still waiting for the letter from my future self to find out where that goes.

You also have a half-brother who lives in France. Keep looking for him; you will eventually make contact with him and get to meet him in person. You might want to pay more attention when you take French in Junior and Senior high school.

The best advice I can give to you is just to keep trying. Don’t let people say that you can’t do something,  except maybe riding a unicycle. Don’t let people say that what you are doing has no purpose. Enjoy what you want to learn whether there is any point in what you are doing or not. Don’t be afraid, except maybe of roller coasters, they are scary. That doesn’t mean don’t fear. There are things in this world that you will be concerned about. Just don’t let that fear be your only guiding force.

Try not to get angry. Use humor when appropriate to diffuse issues. Be silent when being quiet is needed. Listen at all times. Things that you hear whether it be spoken words or sounds of nature will help form you. Always be there for those that need you. Don’t let fads and technology be your only way of life.

Definitely keep listening to the music you love and take lots of pictures. Memories are great images to keep. As you get older you might need some triggers to help jump-start those mind pictures that are lurking within you.

And most of all. Keep writing. The time will come when you won’t be able to share things with others and even yourself. Let your writing be there to speak for you.

You have a long productive way to go. Enjoy it. Let me know if you need the address of someone to be with. I happen to know this girl and maybe I can get you two together before you turn 39. I think you’ll like her.

                Your future self,

                           Harvey

 

 

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K: King’s Choices

Posted on April 13, 2022 by hdh

K: King’s Choices

April 13, a long time ago

Dear Father,

I don’t get it. I’ve been doing a lot of reading and research on princesses and marriages and such. Why is it always the youngest daughter who is the prettiest and the kindest and the one that gets the best pick at who they marry? It’s not fair. And why is it that most kings only have three daughters? What’s wrong with sticking to one daughter or having more than three. And let me also mention having no brothers. Very few stories have kings with multi-gendered offspring. 

Almost everything I’ve read says that the oldest child is always the mean, selfish, and bossy one. Okay, that makes some sense, since they have younger siblings to boss around and pretty much got what they wanted until other kids entered the picture. 

And then there’s the youngest child. In stories, they are the ones that are always doted on and loved the most. Based on my research of real families, the youngest children are always very demanding of things they want and manipulative. Their parents are either too tired after having raised two others and will let them get away with anything or give in to their darling babies’ requests, believing that they are the latest and greatest. In the real world, they are not the sweet innocents of folklore.

And the middle child, which is what I am, are the ones that are always neglected in real life once the third child arrives. Caught in the middle so to speak. That’s reality. Middle children should not be lumped in with the oldest child as being mean and ugly. The stories have it all wrong. We are the most deserving of all the best choices and privileges. But instead, the oldest and youngest get all the perks. 

Let me remind you that looks aren’t everything. It’s always – “I will give away my beautiful daughter in marriage and my kingdom to the prince or whoever completes this nearly impossible task.” Is there a manual for rulers that contains lists of impossible tasks to give out and stupid rewards like giving away your child or your kingdom? I may not be the prettiest of the three of us, but I’m a hell of a lot smarter than my sisters. I’m also quite adept at coming up with solutions to problems that you might have, like getting rid of giants or how to deal with evil sorcerers. 

Whatever happened to free will and the right to one’s own sovereignty? Shouldn’t we get to choose our destiny? After all, maybe I want to marry a peasant, another princess, or not get married at all. Why don’t I get the kingdom? What’s with giving it to the men all of the time? I am related by blood.

So there you have it, father. It’s time for you to get real. Think of this letter as a warning sign from one of your fervent advisors. It’s time for you to recognize ME. Because if you don’t, this clever lady just might have an impossible task for some other queen, princess or peasant to solve, with you as the reward. I’ll still keep the kingdom. I don’t think mother would be too pleased with that.

                         Your loving daughter,

                                   Princess Number 2.

This is continued in Q: Queen’s Quandry

Posted in A to Z Blog Challenge 2022, Original Stories, Writing | Tagged , , | 14 Comments

J: Jack

Posted on April 12, 2022 by hdh

 

J: Jack

Date: A Long Time Ago

SUMMONS

Notice to Defendant: 

Jack (last name unknown)

3 Wishes Lane

Fairyville,  Folkland

 

You are being sued by Plaintiff:

Wife of Giant

2 League Boots

Inclouds, Skyland

 

You have 7 days to turn yourself in or else you will be considered a dangerous criminal at large and subject to immediate arrest and imprisonment without bail.

 

The charges are:

 

  1. Possession and use of illegal magic beans. Please note, that we have already found your cow and your dealer. The dealer confessed to the trade and named you as the instigator. (this was a plea bargain)
  2. Illegal growth of plants in an area that is not zoned for farming. Though you may have cut down the beanstalk, the roots remain as evidence. Your mother, who is also a suspect, is claiming innocence as she claimed she got rid of the beans as soon as they were discovered. (this is also a plea bargain)
  3. Illegal trespass (3 times) on said plaintiff’s property. (investigation by our forensic team has detected time-based odors resembling an Englishman)
  4. Theft, with intent, of one bag of gold as verified by the plaintiff. The purloined bag, though empty, was found in your mother’s house.
  5. Theft, with intent, of one chicken. This is generally a misdemeanor, however, in this case, witnesses have signed affidavits stating that said hen lays golden eggs, making it a felony. Found in mother’s house.
  6. Theft, with intent, of one antique singing harp. Estimated value – priceless. It is also a felony and found in your mother’s house.
  7. First-degree murder of Giant (plaintiff’s husband). Evidence of body still on your property and ax with you and your mother’s fingerprints on it. Again a felony that carries the death penalty or 398.2 years in jail if convicted.

You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot find one (as it’s generally hard to find lawyers in Fairyland) an advocate from the nearest library will be appointed to defend you.

You may provide a list of readers as witnesses for your trial if you wish and any other evidence of incidences that you have been involved in that might establish you as a person with good character qualities. 

Note we are still seeking out your father and older brothers Will and Tom who appear to be missing. 

 

Dutifully signed,

Andrew Lang

Clerk of the Court

County of Folklore

 

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I: Tropical Storm Isaias

Posted on April 11, 2022 by hdh

I: Tropical Storm Isaias – 2020

August 4, 2020

Hey Jeff,

Tropical Storm Isaias hit Long Island today. Power lines were down in front of our house, in addition to a large number of tree limbs. 

We were lucky again like we were when Super Storm Sandy hit in 2012 that nothing hit our house. Do you remember back then when I wrote you about the big pine tree in our front yard that almost hit our house, and I had to spend days having a neighbor help me cut it into pieces? I ended up digging out the stump by myself. Well, today’s storm wasn’t that bad damage-wise. 

With power lines down, it doesn’t look like we will be getting any power back soon. We even have a line down right over our mailbox, not that I think mail delivery will happen soon anyway. I’m certainly not willing to touch a mailbox with a power line draped over it, whether power is running through it or not. 

Depending on how long this power outage lasts, I’m not sure how we are going to deal with all the stocks of COVID-19 food we have stored in our refrigerator and freezer. We’ll have to see what tomorrow brings. 

I’ll try to email you with updates. Glad you live far enough away from us now that you weren’t affected by Isaias (whichever way you pronounce it).

                Harvey

 

————-

August 8, 2020

Hey Jeff,

It’s early morning here and it has been 4 days so far without electricity. Luckily for us, our neighbor has a generator for his house and has allowed us to connect to it with an extension cord so that we’ve been able to keep our refrigerator and freezer running. We also are using the electricity provided to keep our devices charged. 

There are still a lot of branches and trees down. A couple of days ago I watched three of my neighbors, who were standing under a large hanging limb in the middle of the street, discussing what to do with it since no one from the town had come to deal with it yet. While they were chatting away, the limb broke loose and fell. Luckily one of them spotted it falling and jumped forward to knock the one standing under it out of the way. No one was hurt but it was pretty scary.  I’m limiting my outside exposure.

We don’t get upstairs much, especially at night. We sleep downstairs where it is cooler. Cooler is a dimly relative term. And let me tell you, taking cold showers is no fun at all! Hopefully, we’ll get power back tonight, so they say. I’m not holding my breath. 

Hope you and your family are doing well.

                       Harvey

 

————–

August 9, 2020

Jeff,

Semi-normality has returned. We got power back as of 11 a.m. We had dinner with friends and I got to watch a Mets game on TV. It remains semi-normal because COVID-19 is still with us. I can’t wait until they come up with a vaccine. 

For tonight, I’ll enjoy a nice warm shower, the AC, and music to sleep by as the world moves on. 

Till next time.

                   Harvey

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Seeing is Believing

Posted on April 10, 2022 by hdh

Seeing is Believing

It was an illusion after all. Why should I have believed what I was seeing? 

“But seeing is believing? A voice within me said. 

“That’s not true,” I said to myself. Magicians use this kind of trick all of the time. They pull coins from people’s ears. They cut a person in a box in half, and yet that person remains unharmed and whole. I’ve seen countless charades performed to astounded audiences, and yet they are all fake and unreal. So seeing is not believing; one must use logic and knowledge to determine what is real.

But there she stood. The person that I had been wishing for was right there in front of me. This couldn’t be real even though I had hoped and prayed for this day to happen. She had been in my dreams for years and yet, they were dreams. How could this be?

She walked up to me and introduced herself. I said, “You look familiar. I think I know you.” 

Her response was, “As I know you.” 

“But where did you come from? I asked. “You were just a dream I had. Have we ever really met?”

“Dreams are interesting places,” she replied, “What better place to meet. You are not the first person to meet me there.”

Now I was really confused. What was she talking about? What did she mean, I wasn’t the first.”

She obviously read the confusion on my face. She smiled slightly and said, “I occasionally like to meet the ones I help. It gives them an anchor to stay steady and grounded. It allows them to believe more in themselves and their creativity. It actually makes less work for me as they get weaned.”

Focus, that’s what I tried to do. I needed to picture this woman more clearly and determine where it was that I had seen her. What was it that she did that helped me, as she had said? I closed my eyes and thought. What I saw were reams and reams of paper and on each piece there was writing. The writing on the papers was mine. They were stories I had written, poems that I had shared, and parts of my life that I had put to paper in writing groups. 

It was then that I realized who she was. Or at least who she could be. She was my muse. As I opened my eyes, I saw her smile and nod her head. 

As she faded away, I heard her say, “Now write.” And she was gone. 

She may have been an illusion or just a living dream, but I knew that she did exist, in my mind and in my heart. Believing is not just seeing, but also understanding and accepting what you see. Therefore I continue to dream and write, for I know my muse will be there when I need her. 

Posted in Original Stories, Personal Stories, Writing | 1 Comment

H: Hurricane Gloria – 1985

Posted on April 9, 2022 by hdh

H: Hurricane Gloria – 1985

October 6, 1985

Jeff,

What a week this has been! It started when Hurricane Gloria hit Long Island on the 27th. Trees were down as was power all over the Island. We didn’t go back to school for a week. And showers and laundry? I ended up leaving my apartment and drove to my sister’s house in New Jersey. Like I said quite a week. 

Lucky for me I live in a garden apartment that is part of a large golf course. Even though there are trees that surround the property and some did fall down, there are not many around the apartment, so I didn’t have any damage, just a loss of power. I’m hoping that this house that I’m looking to buy in Wading River works out and I can finally move out of this apartment and own a house for the first time ever.

So I went to my sister Leslie’s house after about the fourth powerless day. I could only stay overnight as I just heard when I got there that my school was going to reopen the next day. Because of the storm, not all of the schools could be opened at that time, as some still didn’t have power. We had to share our classrooms and spaces with the primary school classes that were without power. It worked out okay. 

I had played at a Contra Dance prior to the storm and was invited with the band by one of the dancers there, Barbara, to come to a house party that Saturday the 5th (yesterday) in Setauket. Barbara and 6 others shared this house. 

I had a band practice on Saturday in Port Jefferson at Robin’s house. Since it was daylight, we didn’t need power to practice. The group talked about maybe attending Barbara’s party. Setauket was just the next town over. You know I’m not much of a party-goer by myself, but a few of the members were going to go to the party if the power returned in time, so I said I might go also.

Luckily, the power returned well before 8:00 when the party was supposed to start. I decided I would go. When I arrived at the house, there were no cars in the driveway. This was enough to dissuade me from going to the party. I wasn’t sure if I got the wrong house, date, or time and I wasn’t about to go to the door and ask. I didn’t want to look stupid. So I turned around and headed back towards Robin’s house to see if she knew anything. When I got there, the lights were out in her home, so I decided to go back to the party at Barbara’s house, hoping that I had just got the time wrong. 

When I got there, there were lots of cars in the driveway and street and lots of music and noise coming from the house. I guess everyone had been just fashionably late. 

The party was fun, and I met a girl named Christina, another housemate. In fact, we danced together most of the night and when I left she walked me to my car and we even kissed goodbye. I really wanted to call her the next day, but hesitated, worrying about what if someone else in the house answered the phone. My worry was for naught for she called me up first and we set a date for this weekend. I’ll write you and let you know what happens. I’m hoping this relationship works out. 

                   Your friend,

                           Harvey

 

————

October 27, 1985

Jeff,

Glad to hear that you didn’t suffer much with the power outage from Gloria as I did. I can’t believe you went outside as the eye of the storm passed over you. I just stayed indoors the entire time. 

I’m not able to have a camping stove in the apartment or on the golf course, and all my appliances run on electricity, which is why I ended up going to my sister’s house. But with you living in your own house, having a camping stove was a great thing to have and use with no power, not to mention your coal-burning stove to keep you warm. 

I would have loved to play board games like you, however, I live by myself and don’t have any siblings or friends nearby to play with. It was nice to miss a few days of school and walk around the golf course after the storm. Someday I’ll have a family to do things with.

Good news is that I’m actually seeing Christina a lot more now.  We talk to each other on the phone a lot. I really like her. 

Say hi to your wife and daughter for me. Some day we really have to get together. It’s only a 3-hour drive. 

                      Your friend,

                              Harvey

 

To be continued in I – Tropical Storm Isaias – 2020

Feel free to add your thoughts in the comment section, if you were around during Hurricane Gloria. I’d love to hear them.

Posted in A to Z Blog Challenge 2022, Personal Stories, Writing | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

G: George

Posted on April 8, 2022 by hdh

George 

Philadelphia, April 30th, 1789

My dearest Martha,

It has recently come to my attention that I have made quite a name for myself. Not unreasonably, I assumed that becoming Commanding General of the Continental Army in 1775 was to be the pinnacle of my career. Having led our troops to victory, I expected to retire, with you by my side, to our home at Mount Vernon, which I did in 1783. I looked forward to passing the time dancing with you and attending the theater. How I long for those calmer days! I planned to continue working on the Great Dismal Swamp and Potomac canal projects I started before the war, and, indeed, I did exactly that. 

But, alas, having once won our independence, there was a pressing need to re-establish a functional government. This, my love, was no trifling matter, given that those absurd Articles of Confederation were never more than a rope of sand. 

I initially refused to lead the Virginia delegation to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, having had serious concerns about its legality. Eventually, however, I was persuaded to join the delegation, and it’s well that I did. Our newly adopted Constitution just might give this Union the opportunity to achieve true greatness. The alternative, I fear, would have been anarchy. 

I did not, however, anticipate where that document would take me next. The Presidency? I still yearn for the days of my youth as a surveyor of land. 

With you by my side, I am certain that I can do this job. I assure you that this is but a temporary position. The term of office is a mere four years, and I would never agree to serve more than two consecutive terms. I steadfastly refuse to be viewed as a king. We did not fight a bloody war just to replace one king with another. 

Take care, my dearest. We shall be together soon, once I’m settled and you can join me. I eagerly await your presence. 

               Your entire, 

                       Geo. Washington

 

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Door to Door Day

Posted on April 7, 2022 by hdh

Door to Door Day

I’m a door-to-door salesman. My job is to go up to a door and do a cold sell of whatever product I have been given to sell. It is not what one would call a life-changing job or career.

It started when I was in grade school and had to sell magazine subscriptions for the PTA at school. Then came wrapping paper at Christmas and Chanukah and candies at Easter. Doing this type of door-to-door selling was easy. My mom was always with me and she also made the calls to relatives and her friends and co-workers on my behalf.  I did well.

Then as I grew up the products I had to sell were bigger. Raffle tickets for my high school band trip to Great Adventure. And of course more magazines. Only this time I had to make the sale. I did not make as much money then and prizes weren’t for me anyway.

So it only seemed natural, when I graduated from college and couldn’t find a job in my chosen profession, teaching, that I would meander to work using the only employable skill I felt I had experience in – door-to-door selling. 

Today the product I’m selling is vacuum cleaners.

When I go up to a door there are numerous types of people and responses I get. 

One is the “Invisible Man”. They want you to think that nobody’s home, despite the fact that I can see people inside the house peeking through the window shades. No doors are answered.

Then there is the infamous “Door Slammer”. They are the ones that open their doors and wait until I say, “Hi, My name is Harvey, I’m here today to…” and the door is slammed in my face. 

Of course, occasionally I get the “Naked Lady or Man Tempter” depending on who’s home. They are the ones that are expecting someone else, their spouse, lover, postman… For the most part they, too, close the door hurriedly in your face, though occasionally I have been invited in, not so much to get them to buy what I’m selling but for me to buy what they’re selling. 

There’s the “Listener”. They open the door and stare at you blankly until you’ve finished your whole spiel and then say, “Sorry not interested” or “We already have one of those.”

You don’t get very far when the “Kid” answers the door. Four-year-olds are not very adept at lying and will inform you that no one is home, or their mother is in the shower, but you can come in and wait. That usually doesn’t work very well when said person from the shower comes out with a towel wrapped around them and you, a strange person, are standing next to their 4-year-old child. 

You get the idea. I could write a lot about others that I run into on any of my door-to-door days, but I gotta’ stop talking and sell something. 

I seriously think it’s time for me to seek out a new profession…unless any of you are interested in purchasing a vacuum cleaner.

I hear there’s a call for pre-school monitors to supervise 3- and 4-year-olds during lunch. Maybe I’ll try that. What could possibly go wrong?

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F: Future Insights

Posted on April 7, 2022 by hdh

F: Future Insights 

April 7, 2022

Dear Future Me,

I could use a little help here. You don’t have to tell me everything, sometimes it’s best to not know what is going to happen. But you do know what mistakes and blunders I will make. So can you give me a heads up on things I should work on to make those events, less painful? 

I’ve already written to my past self to give him a heads up (https://www.hdhstory.net/Storyblog/?p=2984). But now it’s time for you to do the same for me in kind. 

I don’t need exact dates, but give me some relative time periods to look out for. Family, friends, trips, work, play, good books to read, encounters with aliens, Nobel/Pulitzer prizes…you know those kinds of things. 

You can even write to me from different times in the future. You can wait for a little while before writing depending on when you get this. I mean writing me a letter from tomorrow, about what I’m going to be doing later on today is not what I’m looking for. I’m looking for more like 5,10,15 years from now. And, if I live past the age of 100, definitely let me know that. 

Am I going to get a book published? I’d really like to know that. Also if you could give me a clue as to what the book is about, it might get me motivated and started. 

And with all this COVID stuff happening now and travel restrictions, it would be nice to know if there is a light at the end of the tunnel showing new vistas to visit rather than the light of an oncoming train. You don’t have to tell me everything, but maybe what’s one of the places Christina and I go that was one of our favorites. That way we can start planning.

So, please, send me a letter, drop me a line, or text me if you can. You’ve got my number.

I’d be glad to let you know how it all works out, but I guess you already know that. 

                 Your present self,

                        Also Me

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