The Real Me

I've Mom to a son, Roger, and was to a rescue puppy – he lived nearly twenty years - many cats over the years, a blue parakeet once, and fish, although after Roger left for the service years ago, I got rid of the aquarium. I loved the bluish-green glow from the lights, the bubbling sound of the water pump. I just hated to clean it.

After spending most of my adult life married, I’m now a single lady. And that’s ok. I get to control the TV clicker.

For me, the single life is wonderful in many ways. Did anyone see Romancing the Stone with Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner & Danny Devito? In the opening, the main character, played by Kathleen turner, sits at her typewriter in an old flannel robe, her hair sticking out in several places. She’s finishing a novel, and she’s crying as she’s writing this wonderful final scene. Tears are streaming down her cheeks, so she needs a tissue. She reaches for the tissue box, but it’s empty, so she shuffles to the bathroom for toilet paper, but the roll is empty. She sees a post-it note above reminding her to get toilet paper. Still sniffing, she goes into the kitchen for paper towels, same thing. Now she notices her notes scattered all over the kitchen reminding her she’s out of everything and to buy more. That’s a lot like my own life.

I’m a writer too, and as a single person, I can follow my natural tendencies to stay up most of the night and sleep in. I’ll be cleaning the kitchen or washing clothes at 3am. Most people think writers are strange people, so if someone calls and wakes me out of a sound sleep at, say, 9am, they simply consider me weird.

I do most of my shopping at night, especially in the summer out of the sun and heat. I can tell you what groc stories close at 10pm, 11pm & midnight. I’m often there.

Not only can I watch what I want, but for meals, I can toast a cheese sandwich or pop a bowl of popcorn, or, if I’ve been busy writing or working on a website, I can grab my purse & keys and go thro a drive-thru. – in my old ratty robe. I just pray I don’t have a flat tire.

I suppose fast-food isn’t the healthiest way to live, but as long as I’m a single lady, I’ll quote another Southern lady, Scarlett O’Hara, and ‘I’ll think about that tomorrow. ‘