Thursday, January 3, 2019

I meet a friend at Paris Bakery. The windows still have painted holiday snow scenes. The cabinets are filled with yummy sweet things.  I have coffee and a toasted dinner role. My friend greets everyone with a smile and a loud laugh.  I stand back.  The old man in front of me in the line sadly says, I know you, I loved your parents’ bar.  Those were the best of times, now is the worst of times.  He says the same thing every time I see him.  Usually I can avoid him but today he catches me by surprise.  The tables fill up and the line grows longer. 

My friend and I settle down to talk about our lives once again.  We both loved Michele Obama’s new book BECOMING.

Another friend says that she is looking for a book to recommend to her book club. Willa Cather I blurt out, DEATH COMES FOR THE ARCHBISHOP.  She had never heard of it.  No, she says, not my kind of book.  I want to argue with her but I keep my mouth shut.