Monday, July 13, 2009

A Rainy Sunday





Just trying to capture a few raindrops while experimenting with my new camera. . .CLICK to enlarge.

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I snapped this photo from a photo posted on the bulletin board. It isn't his best photo but he has on his red hat that he always wore.

FRED
I walked into the mailroom
Not quite two years ago. . .
He sat there watching the goings and comings. . .
“Hi, pretty lady,” he said as I entered.
“Hi,” I said back. . . “I’m Paulie. . . what’s your name?”
“Fred,” he said.

Sometimes old folks don’t have good memories
I am an old folk too so I had to think of something fast.
I could associate the store, Fred Meyers, with Fred
That would help me to remember his name.
I play these association games all the time.
It works for me. . .

Next time I see Fred, he says “Hi, pretty lady.”
I say, “Hi, Fred.”
Every time he sees me he says “Hi, pretty lady.”
Blushing got pretty old and finally I said to him. . .
“Fred, you don’t remember my name do you?”
A little embarrased, he admitted it and I told it to him again.
That day forward he called me Paulie . . . but once in awhile he still called me “pretty lady” too.

I don’t know much about Fred. . .
He liked to watch sports on TV.
He loved ice cream and had two cones at our social last year even tho he wasn’t supposed to eat ice cream.
Every morning, he was up bright and early and headed for coffee at the corner Starbucks.
He rode the bus and we met there sometimes.
The other daily routine he had was to buy a daily lottery ticket.
He won several times small amounts and most recently a thousand dollars. . .
He told me he spent a little of it but put the rest in the bank.
First, he asked me if I needed anything. . . and I said no graciously.
I told him he should go blow it on something he enjoyed --
Instead, it just sits in the bank and only he knows the final plans he had for it.

I know he’s in a better place.
I also know that I will miss him.
But each time I go past the mailroom,
I will hear his words in my heart. . .
"Hi, pretty lady!”
I am glad I knew him a little -- if only for a short time.
Blessings come in all kinds of packages.
This one was named Fred.

7 comments:

Katney said...

I am sorry you have lost another friend.

dixymiss said...

Beautiful shots, Paulie. So what camera did you get ~ if you don't mind my asking?

What a lovely and poignant tribute to your friend, Fred.

Malyss said...

You made a moving tribute to Fred, and your lovely picture match very well with your feelings: raindrops are like tears...

Rune Eide said...

Rain drops and flowers go together well - especially in the two first ones.

And you know how to use words. Very fitting.

SandyCarlson said...

Fred was a cool dude, and he knew what he was talking about. I like your writing. I am sorry your friends are passing. But thank you for teaching me about a very special kind of love through your own experiences.

EG CameraGirl said...

Beautiful shots of rain on daylilies.

What a lovely tribute to Fred. Yes, you will definitely miss him.

becky aka theRAV said...

I like this post. Fred would have liked it too. I am sure he has read it over your shoulder.

About Me

My photo
WELCOME to my blog. I hope you will return often.

I am on my third digital camera, all Olympus. I enjoy using it and sharing my photos. I also enjoy writing. I hope to share a little of each on this blog. My main blog is Postcards From the Northwest.

Kerri and I will continue to add benches to "For the Love of Benches Continued . . . " blog also. It is good to continue to share with her!

Continuation of the Kiggins House Re-model photos were lost when my computer crashed.

The latest city project, TURTLE PLACE, will unfold here as I have time to add photos. It is complete and maybe I can find enough photos someday to show you the final results. Next project after the two I am working on now. . .


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