“Can you please help me? Why do Americans name some girls after the calendar?”
I couldn’t fault him for asking me because he isn’t a native English speaker and has only been in the country for a short time so it made sense to ask me.
“January, June and May are the only names I can think of. Are there others that I am missing?”
He didn’t come up with any and asked me to address the three I mentioned but I didn’t have much to offer. I told him sometimes people were named after relatives or someone else the parent thought was important and shrugged my shoulders.
That mostly took care of him and the conversation went in a very different direction and we got involved in things that aggravate us and future dreams.
When he asked me what I was dreaming of I said I thought there would be a time soon when I would be able to revisit the kingdom and explore future opportunities.
He said that sounded like a very specific non-specific answer and I laughed.
“It is. You asked me about calendar girls and I didn’t give you much information about Miss June or the others. Not very good for a guy who has been told he is an effective communicator.”
Anne Frank & Barbara Walters
The Traveling Wilburys are singing Handle With Care and I am trying to figure out how it is that 50 percent of the group has been deceased for more than 20 years now.
Take a moment before you tell me the math doesn’t add up and I’ll agree it is probably off because Tom Petty has only been gone for six years.
For what it is worth George Harrison has been gone for 22 years and Roy Orbison is at 35 which I suppose helps expose my own age a bit because I don’t think of the Wilburys as having been something I listened to in college.
But clearly I was in college when they formed and I don’t associate listening to them from that time.
Which brings me to associations in general and how some things are surprising when we place them in a different sort of context.
For example Anne Frank was born the same year as Barbara Walters so in theory if she hadn’t been murdered by the nazis she might still be alive today.
Would we know about her?
Probably not and that would have been just fine with her family.
****
I told someone a story about something that happened when we were out celebrating my paternal grandfather’s 80th birthday.
It’s a bit of a family legend, a moment where my dad said something that makes me snort and shake my head. I think it of as being funny, but a bit out of character.
But what surprises me now is he would have been 51 when this happened. In concept it makes perfect sense, the calendar doesn’t lie but it throws me a bit to realize I am older now than he was when that happened.
I want to call him and ask him what the hell he was thinking. I’d give him the “you were too old to act like that” bit and give him my best glare.
It would be great fun as I have gotten pretty good at giving it and no one wants to hear that from their kid.
I want to say you are going to turn 80 in September so I can turn this in a family tradition and pull my own stunt. I want to say your grandson can do it when I turn 80 too.
But I can’t call him and engage in that sort of exchange. Can’t look him in the eye and watch him try to assess if I am messing with him or serious.
It is disappointing. I would have gladly let him lay into me about not having time for my nunsense and to see those bright blue eyes turn icy.
Would have been fun to make another crack about the word being pronounced Nonsense but can’t do that. Can’t ask my own Grandpa Wilner why he pronounced Cincinnati (Sin-seh-natteh) or share a few stories that would have made him spit out his drink.
Hell, it would have made my other grandfather spit out his drink with laughter too.
And frankly I have a few things I would have liked to have vented to them about too but those have to be left to be shared with shades and spirits who visit me when my eyes are closed and I lie upon my back.
****
Maybe when I next walk through the kingdom I’ll share them there. Might have to check to see if the drawbridge is down or figure out if I am going to have to scale the castle walls again.
You managed to get Tom Petty and both granddads into one post. Well done!
I sure miss Tom. I first fell for him when I was a college freshman in 1976 and was given a regular shift on my school’s FM station. He had me after a few chords and a verse or two. We never met but I have considered him a friend all this time. Some imagination, huh?
My wonderful dad passed away 2 1/2 years ago after 96 years of saintliness. I wish there were as many chances to hear and see him today as there are with Tom. Not that I regret seeing and hearing so much of Tom these days, but Dad was number one.
Oh, you didn’t really forget April, did you?
Ya know, I did forget April which is ridiculous given I know the song well and have a cousin named…April.
I understand that idea, thinking that a musician is a friend. It makes perfect sense and it is part of the magic of music. Sometimes I am certain it has to be true and sometimes I wonder, but imagination–well I am always a fan.
Sorry to hear about your dad, we always miss them. No matter how old they or we were, there is always one more story/question to ask or share.