“How long does it take you to write a column?” I often have one of the three questions asked since writing senior moments 15 years ago.
And the answer is that I try to follow the king’s advice in Ellis in Wonderland: “Start in the beginning and walk until you come to the end: stop again.”
This can be quite a challenge when I write about my conversation with the moon. It is not always easy to determine where they end, or sometimes where they start. They just swim in my space and we raise in the middle of our last talk.
Next question: “Are your stories true?”
Stories are my truth as I know them. My late husband used to say this “reality of Petricia”.
On a trip to London with my college roommate in the 1960s, I was patrolling a beautiful British police officer, or Bobby, Fleet Street. I was already in a state of surprise about being on the infamous road of newspapers and publishing houses, so the elevated senses can be responsible for my quick attraction for a person who never spoke a word for me.
In a week, I kept looking for the reasons for walking on Holiday Street so that I could stop and smile on it. He was facing stone as if I was not there. Then one day when I was smiling at him, he smiled back. At least I think he did it. I could not be sure whether this was really happened or I wanted it so much that I thought it in reality. I can only tell you that after all these years, I can still take a picture of that smile. Even if my imagination cherished it, I am still in love.
Final Question: “Where do you get your thoughts?”
Anywhere. This is a funny thing about moments, senior or otherwise. They are waiting for all the time, at all times, harvesting and tasting, like lemon on my tree.
Thanks, readers of senior moments, laughing and crying and sharing their ideas for the last 15 years.
I am kicking my next year with the publication of my memoir. Stay
Email Petricia Banin [email protected]Follow it at x @patriciabunin and patriciabunin.com