I'd been randomly reading the stories and realized the similar tone to those of Charles Bukowski: a little dark, a little twisted, and yet with a spark of life.
That made "Winters' Tales: Stories And Observations For The Unusual" perfect for him.
I would have gifted it to the J-Dawg last week when we dined at Bonefish, but I thought it best if I prettied it up first, as it had a musty odor.
Several days with baking soda rendered it good as new and ready for his hands!
What makes this perfect for him?
The poem written by Jonathan Winters' daughter, Lucinda, to celebrate the 60th birthday of her father... and his inner child.
It was included in the author's foreword, and I present it here.
"I can picture you fifty years ago and more playing alone,
Creating invisible friends, speaking their dialogues, acting each role.
I'm a lot like you.
I played alone with fantasy characters, questioned my vivid imagination,
But you taught me not to be afraid to be alone or unusual.
You taught me to be proud to be strange.
I can picture you as an old man with still the imagination of a child,
And me, a middle-aged woman mentally and spiritually playing alongside.
Two special friends, two children, an unusual father and his unusual daughter."
Creating invisible friends, speaking their dialogues, acting each role.
I'm a lot like you.
I played alone with fantasy characters, questioned my vivid imagination,
But you taught me not to be afraid to be alone or unusual.
You taught me to be proud to be strange.
I can picture you as an old man with still the imagination of a child,
And me, a middle-aged woman mentally and spiritually playing alongside.
Two special friends, two children, an unusual father and his unusual daughter."
Perfect for two friends such as we are.
It makes me think of Calvin and Hobbes, and hopefully the physicist will have that thought, too.
"Happy half-century! May this mark on your timeline begin a memorable era.
I hope the book will provide a few smiles, a modicum of advice, and perhaps even moments of inspiration.
As for the jazz, that's a language that travels the globe, and generations, with ease; enjoy!"
That means I am also granting him ownership of Kaori Kobayashi's first CD.
Nothing like a Japanese saxophonist playing a jazz standard written by a guitarist and made famous by Miles Davis...
given by a chemist to her favorite physicist.
(smile!)
1 comment:
Okay!
I had a purr-fect bag - paisley design in sepia maroon ink on faded olive-green background - that I put everything into.
Good!
He really liked the bag, too...
but did not look into it while we were together on Tuesday.
That's okay, I didn't take it personally.
His notice of the bag was acknowledgement enough for me.
I know he'll speak of the items on his own terms.
The important this is this: he is in receipt.
(smile!)
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