Sterling Silver Starlight

 

Sterling silver starlight
dappled the limpid lake waters
as we sat on the sand beside it
chatting and laughing about innocuous things.

When we were young.

Then you mentioned Janice Westbury,
I'll never forget that moment.
You said that she was so fine and that you
would like her to be in your family.

Something shattered inside me,
I bowed my head and hugged my knees.
You saw my sadness and chuckled,
I thought I'd die.

Then you put your arm around my shoulders,
pulled me closer and said
that you wanted to set her up with your brother
because they'd be a perfect match.

We were young.

Five years later, we sat with our first-born child
on the same stretch of sand
the day after a storm and debris was all around.
We sang folk songs and lullabies.

Ten years later,
there were five of us on the beach.
It had eroded from a series of wild storms,
but we still had a fire and we sang.

We were not as young.

Another ten years passed and we sat alone
on our beach.
The children being older and away with friends.
We were glad to be together and at peace.

And then twenty years passed so quickly.
The lake was turgid with high waves,
We spoke of many things,
preparing ourselves,
should one leave before the other.

We were no longer young.

And then the day came that you were gone.
I sat alone on the beach
looking up at the sterling silver starlight,
knowing you were there.

©Ellen Pepper 2023

Maeve's Memories

 

"I miss Manhattan. The only time it's ever really quiet is in the early morning in Central Park near the reservoir after a heavy snowfall.

I miss the aromatic, omnipresent stench of urine smacking you in the nose as soon as you drive into the city." (smirks)

 "I remember the first time I ever went to a cafe and asked for a bagel and the woman behind the counter, Mrs Rubens, asked me if I wanted a schmear with that. I said," Maybe. What's a schmear? I'm from Canada."
Mrs R said, "It's a bit of cream cheese."
I said, "YES, please! Yum! I'd love a schmear!" I was so young then." (smiles)

"I miss the long walk from the West Side Y down Broadway to the acting school. The blocks in Manhattan are very short. You can cover them in 3 or 4 strides. Nobody on foot gives a damn about traffic lights.

I recall the day my friends and I exchanged nods and smiles with Andy Warhol as we passed each other in front of the Plaza Hotel, and we were giddy about it for hours - jumping up and down and behaving badly." (sighs)

"There was that day Yul Brynner and I spoke about acting in the Lincoln Center Library. He was listening to records with earphones while I was studying a script. When I was leaving, he called me over and we chatted about acting... like old friends, until I had to get to rehearsal. I wish I'd stayed longer. He died about a month later.
I was never really certain that it was Yul, after all he introduced himself with a different name - I think he said he was Jules.

I miss the camaraderie of New Yorkers when they knew you were one of them. God help you if you were a tourist, though." (eyeroll and smiles)

"I miss the spontaneity of the crowds and the magnificently bizarre interactions - like being surrounded by drug dealers while walking with some friends at Broadway and Central Park South and I scared them off by waving my arms, screeching like a maniac, and screaming out, "RUN!!! RUN!!! RUN!!!!" - which had the effect of scattering the dealers. We raced straight into Central Park chased by one brave guy who would not stop chasing until I turned around, raced up to him and asked what the hell he wanted. He said that he just wanted to sell some of his stuff. He was afraid of me. (laughs) Well, a guy has to make a living, right?"

"I remember the night of an ice storm when a bunch of us were on our way to watch a play and the most obnoxious dude was attention-seeking, as per usual - he was related to a famous Hollywood star don't ya know. He started belting out,"San Franciso, open your Golden Gate!" while flinging wide his arms... and slipping on the ice... and falling flat on his pompous ass. I laughed so hard. The others gave me side-eye.
 It's funny, but in all these years I've never heard of him making it in show business.

One man who did make it, had narcolepsy. He fell asleep more than once while we were on stage. How he ever managed to act for a living is a mystery. The man could not stay awake."

"Well, that's enough for now, my dear. You've been very gracious to listen to an old woman ramble on about things that... just don't matter anymore."
                                     ___________________

- An interview with Maeve Milton.
Recently recorded at The Shady Acres Home, Renfrew NY
_____________________________________________
©Ellen Pepper 2023

ABOUT BONNIE

 [Hank's story #3]

Hey Hank
It's me, Joe - Bonnie's brother. I don't go by Joey anymore.

Something bad happened to Bonnie. We buried her on Tuesday.

The reason I'm writing is to let you know that we found a box with your letters in it and a letter that Bonnie was going to send to you. I'll just tell you what she said in it because it's a bit messed up and hard to read from the bloodstains. You won't want to see it.

She didn't say much.

This is it -
Hank,
I can't ever come back.
The demons got my soul and won't let go.
B.

Anyway, maybe someday soon I'll come down your way and visit.
Sorry for the bad news.
Joe

_________________

 © Ellen Pepper 2023

THINGS HAVE CHANGED...

 [Hank's story #2]

Howdy Bonnie,

Since I wrote you a year ago, things have changed around these parts. I have some news for you, even though you haven't replied to my last.

Sandra's baby, Polly, is walking now and she's a handful - getting into everything and cheering us all up every day. She got a bit sickly for a while and we feared the plague had got her but it was just the usual baby stuff.
Haven't heard from Cousin Ned for a while. Heard he's spending a bit of time in the stockade for going AWOL. He just wanted to visit Polly.

Jack broke his shinbone and can't play baseball for a while. I have to deliver his papers while riding his bike because the carb on the pickup needs repair. Matt at the garage has ordered parts to fix it. I'll be doing him some favors to pay for it all.

Cissie met a decent guy and they're having a good time together. She's acting nicer now, which is a relief. hehe  Lucas is the strong silent type, just what she needs.

We lost the brown barn cat that you were fond of - hit by a truck and crawled through the ditch to the house looking for help, but didn't make it. She's buried behind the old horse barn.

I met a nice lady, a nurse. Lily. There was a benefit at the Baptist church for Fireman Ricky and she stopped in, even though she's an atheist. Well, so am I. She works at a hospital in the city but lives down here near the lake in a cabin that her husband built before he died. She loves the kids and they're easy with her.
It's nice because we never fight and we laugh a lot.
She has kindness in her eyes and a good heart.

Look, Bonnie, if you plan on coming home, you should tell me fast because me and Lily are starting to have feelings for each other.

Ok, truth be told - Ned isn't in the army and he's not in the stockade. He's in prison. Jacob and him robbed a store in the city. They waved guns around and got caught. There was only $27.35 in the cash register.  6 years for armed robbery.

Well, I guess I'd better close this now and send it off.
Let me know if you're coming back.

Hank

_____________________

 © Ellen Pepper 2023