I plan to write a book...

A few years ago I purchased a book entitled What We Saw: the Events of September 11, 2001- In Words, Pictures a and Video, by CBS News. This book is a compilation of reports broadcast by CBS and its affiliates that day and in the months that followed. Other then to take the plastic shrink wrap off when it arrived, I never really looked at the book before this evening.

I have for several months been thinking about writing a book, a work of fiction which will outline a different national response to the events of 2/11/01, and what follows. I have been looking for information on what President Bush was doing in Florida that morning, and what his immediate response was. I have been looking for a clip or written text of the unilateral support of Congress that was broadcast later that day. Part of the reason I remember it because Senator Wellstone was in it. I don't remember what all the speech was about, but I vividly remember the joined group singing “God Bless America” afterwards.

This evening put the DVD in my computers CD/DVD player an watched it. Just under two hours in length. I watched it primarily to bring back to mind what people were saying in reaction to the events immediately after. It included several excerpts I had not seen previously, so I re watched several items. But can you imagine? When I turned it off Windows Media Player, the time on the computer screen read 9:11 (PM). I sat stunned for a moment, and I'm not ashamed to admit, it prayed. I feel as though the Holy Spirit rested on my shoulder and said 'write your book..'

As stated above, it will be like a 'parallel universe,' or maybe 'an alternate reality'. It will make suggestions that our response, instead of attacking/invading Afghanistan, and later, Iraq with out military might, we do so with real economic sanctions against Mideast countries suspected of harboring/supporting terrorist cells, in the form of not purchasing any petroleum from such countries. That is the first part of the book. What will follow is what happens to the people and society in that country-- set perhaps 50-100 years in the future...

The post below from yesterday, is a rough draft of a scene I envision taking place in a rural/farming community. For some reason it appears in my mind as being up around Collegeville/St. Joseph area... in the coming days, I hope to post more drafts of ideas involved in this very creative endeavor. Copyright 2008 by the Blogged Sink

reduce REUSE recycle

“you know, Jaimie, I remember a lecture I got from my Grandma when I was about your age.”
Jaimie rolls her eyes. “Really Gram? Gosh, I can't picture you being lectured about anything”
Clay grins and says,
“Jaimie be quiet. I wanna to hear what Gram has to say.” Jaimie glares at her cousin and mutters 'I bet-especially since she's singled me out this time...'
“Thank you, Clay!” Gram says.
“Now where was I? Oh yes. Our folks had gone out of town for something; I think it was a bowling tournament towards Duluth. "

"Anyway, Grandma had come to watch us kids while they were gone. One morning I washed my hands after finishing breakfast, took a fresh paper towel from the roll, wiped my hands and threw the crumpled towel in the trash can. Grandma grabbed my arm and shook me as I was going out the back door.”
“Then she went over, pulled the paper towel out of the trash can, unfolded it and said,”
As Gram continues Jaimie chimes in “I have never seen such a wasteful child!”

This time several young voices complain:
“Jaimie be quiet!”
“Shhh... Jaimie don't tease Gram”
“Really Jaimie”
“Alright, alright” Jaimie rolls her eyes again.
“Please Gram, continue your story.”
“Thank you Jaimie, I think I will.”
Gram winks and smiles at Jaimie.

“My Grandma showed me the paper towel I was so quick to through away and she said...” Gram stops and looks at Jaimie, who holds her hands out, palm towards Gram “what did she say Gram?”
“She asked me if I washed my hands.”
I looked at my Grandma, and said 'yes.' “Well then, if your hands are clean, did you dirty this paper towel?” I shook my head no.
Then my Grandma said “well, if the paper towel isn't dirty, then you should spread it out so it will dry, and someone else can use it again for something, like wiping up a spill."

“What do you think of my story Jai-my-mie?” Jaimie looks down at the floor for a moment. “Well, I can see her point...but really Gram, paper towels?” Some of the younger children giggle.
“You younglings may find it hard to believe, but yes there was such a thing as towels made from paper product. It came on on rolls that you could tear off in pieces about 12 x 12 inches. I had already learned the lesson of taking more than one towel to dry my hands on.” This time Gram rolled her eyes. All the children laugh at Gram.

Getting serious again, Gram asks Jaimie “wasn't it turn for your charges to have baths last eve?” “Yes Gram, and we all used the same towel...”
“I know that Jaimie, but when you were done with it, where did you put it? Witih a downcast look, Jaimie admits she put it in the dirty clothes hamper.
“I'll go take it out ...” It''s okay, Jai-my-mie, I hung it up after you went to sleep. Just try to remember in the future, okay?”

The children leave the table room to do their assigned chores. Clay pokes Jaimie on the way out. She slaps his hands and mutters “paper towels” Giggling, Clay asks, 'just how old is Gram anyhow?”
“Its anyway, and I don't know. Next thing she'll want us to save the butt cloths from day to day!”
''Yuck! that's gross Jaimie!”
“Jaimie?
“What?”
“What is 'bowling'?
Copyright 2008 by the Blogged Sink

Poems I wrote in 1975

While looking through a box of stuff last week I found a note book with some 'vintage poetry' from the summer of 1975, when I was headed into 11th grade. I attended a special sort of summer school called Twin Cities Institute for Talented Youth (TCITY). These two poems which were printed up in a booklet at the end of the session:

people
beware of
this lake.

it will
steal any
thing you happen
to be throwing
around.

our family
and friends
have
lost
two frisbees
one shoe
four tennis balls
three nerf footballs
and one volkswagen key.

people
beware of
this lake.

----------

memories of a lost tennis shoe

my tennis shoe
you were my favorite shoe
you never gave me a blister,
like my new shoes do.

You were okay
even if you were ragged and
unpadded.

i'm sorry
but i couldn't stop my brother
when he picked you up
and threw you out
so far in the lake,
where you floated for a while
and then sank
before i could reach you.
7/15/1975