Which Reminds Me

Yes, I vaguely remember that one of the first words of the Spanish language that I ever learned was "gringa." That is because the Mexican children who I had met playing on the street had given me that label, and I was sort of OK with being dubbed an outsider "gringa." The term dates back to the Mexican-American War of the 1840s, or so I was told, so that really does not have anything to do with me personally. The Mexican children seem to cherish the delusion of white girl as a soldier from the enemy front, so, yes, there is a context where I could argue about that, but also why expend the emotional energy necessary to fight about these deeply entrenched cultural points. I just have other ways of thinking about that. 

Which Reminds Me

Yes, I really could nor care less about her mental problem, whatever that meant. If she is going to take that personally, she will be up a creek without a paddle, because anyone nobody was talking to her or about her. It was only book report on Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift. Looking back now, I see that my book report was not very in-depth or granular in terms of trying to identify specifically who were they talking about, but anyway it was only high school. I just wanted to get a passing grade and be done with that. Enough about that.

Which Reminds Me

Yes, I vaguely remember that there was a day at work, in the office, when I was told that our newspaper is suing the mayor. And on the lawsuit paperwork it includes some generic "reporters" in the complaint. Oh, I had not been aware of that. Nobody had consulted me or given me any prior notice before the paperwork was filed on that, so I really cannot say what Rick Hayden was thinking on that point. 

Which Reminds Me

Yes, interesting option that of living a life by ying-yanging to the dreary Stone family. I really don't care what they do or did down there. I think that going there myself would only muddy the waters that are quite muddled already thanks to the idiotic rantings of your ex-wife Regina. They really were not that important to me in the whold scheme of things, I think that I would rather live my life without reference to their magazine voyages. I have enough of that on my plate already.

Which Reminds Me

Yes, that was sort of weird, during high school, the way they were yapping about how they are going to send me down to their level of mafia underground, how dare I resist, so that they can trample me underfoot. Makes me wonder if I should do something really bad to fulfill that compelling prophecy, would that make them feel better about themselves? or maybe not. Maybe I am not as bad as they seem to imagine. But it really does wear on the nerves to listen to that day in and day out.

Which Reminds Me

Yes, I agree that I should pay my $25 parking ticket, if only I could remember what happened to the bill, and anyway I cannot quite understand why the sharks are so interested. I am nobody important. Besides which, how would you know about my parking ticket? You are not the city clerk. 

Which Reminds Me

Yes, I seem to be remembering that my U.S. passport is valid through 2033, so if I did have occasion to go somewhere, I do have the basic travel document necessary to get around, assuming that I live that long, and assuming that I would have some reason to go there. If there were millions of dollars in the bank to throw around, that would be a different matter, but as yet nothing comes to mind. 

Which Reminds Me

Yes, I vaguely remember many years ago watching a TV program that depicted Mexicans trying to sneak across the border somewhere near Tijuana, and they were talking about how afraid and terrified they were of being caught by the "migra," which is the abbreviated term that they use to mean the border patrol. 

And of course if I were to see those people at the grocery store or somewhere, how would I know what they were, whether legal or not? They all look the same to me, all with straight black hair and dark eyes and brown skin. They might be long-term U.S. citizens, or they might be somewhere in the stages of naturalization, which can take several years, or have just a green card or other more dubious paperwork. How would I know? 

But I do remember back in the late 1970s or 1980s, when that bumper sticker was very popular in South Florida, which said something to the effect of will the last American leaving South Florida take the flag. The humor has gone stale this many years, because, although South Florida has changed drastically, I have yet to hear of anyone seriously suggesting that the flag be removed from South Florida. It was only a joke, a certain type of joke that sounds sort of antiquated at this point. How would you pledge allegiance to the flag if that were taken seriously? No, that was only a joke.

And, incidentally, we already had this conversation several times over about how I do not wear cross jewelry, because I am a Protestant, and I think that would send mixed signals. But of course if I did wear that, I suppose that it could be useful if I were needing to put some evil vampire back in his place, but of course hopefully I will not need to do that. I hope not. 

Which Reminds Me

Yes, I am noticing that you are getting your information primarily from the bratty Sanchez kids, who so immature and all they want to do is stupid stuff. Enough about them. It was somewhat unfortunate that they were in our school, because they really did not quite belong there, but who am I to say how these things happen. You can only play along with them for so long before they turn weird and completely self-absorbed, and then it is not worth continuing this conversation. Enough about that. That was all Carol's idea so talk to her. 

Which Reminds Me

Yes, what was the name of that guy who let me win the chess game? He was teaching me how to play chess, it was not a very competitive game. How else could I have won? Only an hour earlier I had no idea of how to play chess, so do I owe him something for that? Yes, I have decided that it would be better for me to not pursue a career in chess. It would get too burdensome to have to repay all of these "wins."

Which Reminds Me

Yes, I felt so bad, so guilty of rear-ending that guy's car in a car accident. Sorry about that, but anyway my insurance company took care of that matter and so there was nothing more that I would need to say about that. A year or two later I received some paperwork in the mail in relation to that. Apparently the elderly white man had died, not immediately but several months to a year later, while vacationing in Ireland, and his wife was now suing me for loss of marital relations and whatever else. Huh? He seemed fine at the scene of the accident, at least at first. He was walking around and then later, when questioned by the paramedic guy who stopped to help, said that he did not feel so well, and then he got in his car, and the paramedic got in behind him and was massaging his neck or something, I could not see that very clearly from where I was standing, and then later the ambulance came and carried him away on a stretcher, with some thing around his neck, so apparently the jolt was more damaging than it had at first seemed. But I really am not qualified to comment on the work of the paramedic, whether what he did helped or made it worse, but anyway the Good Samaritan law will prevent the suers from extracting further information about the paramedic. Sorry but I cannot help with that. Besides which, although we might have exchanged the requisite insurance information at the scene of the accident, he never said anything about Motown or whether his wife was white or black. I just have no idea.

Which Reminds Me

Yes, I vaguely remember that they were talking about that girl singer at our school who already had her own record album and had some experience singing for Motown and various rock bands. The idea was that it seemed somewhat incredible that a white girl should be claiming to be a backup singer for Motown, and aren't those people all black? I forget what her name was. And later online someone was telling me that there actually was at least one or maybe more white people working at Motown, but who were they and was that girl one of them was not clear. I forget who she was so this matter is of no great concern to me. I cannot remember what her name was, so you cannot prove anything by me.

Which Reminds Me

Yes, if your client really wanted to finance all of these extravagant lifestyle option, yes, that would be something to at least think about and consider. However, experience gives me the feeling that is all some sort of twisted joke on me, because just some casting director's wanting to cast me as some wealthy globe-trotting heiress does not make it so. Sorry about that.

Which Reminds Me

Yes, my mind just goes blank. I cannot quite imagine what there would be to discuss with some guy who thinks that he is a Mainelander. For what do I need Spelling 101? I am fairly good at spelling, apart from the matter of typos. So whatever that meant.  

Which Reminds Me

Yes, I suppose that if I were going to go to Switzerland, it could be interesting to visit that library and schedule some study time at L'Abri, although I do not know when I would ever get there. However, I did once read a very interesting book about L'Abri and its founders, Lori Way might remember that it might have been her book that I borrowed, but I did not take that book with me, so anyway it was only a book that I read.

Which Reminds Me

Yes, perhaps I should apologize that you did not receive their memo explaining that they think that I am an idiot. They will be dropping me off when they get home to Texas, which means that I often receive messages warning me to never go there. Ok, fine. No problem. Still, that does not explain why I am still getting spam messages from Stephanie. How would Susie and Sammy be acquainted with Stephanie? They attended high school in El Paso, located near the border of Texas, a dreadfully dry border town of no interest to me, so obviously they would not have attended Stephanie's private party for reasons differing from why I also was not in attendance at their party, obviously. So what is this bill to pay for myself not being there? For what? I never really heard that, but it could be interesting to fill in the blanks. I hear them screaming and yelling but I really did not care that much about not being invited to their private party.

Which Reminds Me

Yes, I vaguely remember hearing that if you are an enemy of the "People" then you are not a mainlander and so you deserve exile to some tiny little island of Thai-Wan. Submit to the new One Party system or else. Whatever that Chinese thing meant. Ha ha ha! 

Which Reminds Me

Yes, that was sort of unfortunate that I made that punchy joke, and then they started to confess some stuff about a different party that I had not attended and had not heard about, (Oh, I did not know that), but the bad guys were not them you understand, and there had to be some high-level intervention to remedy the situation. Oh, ok, fine. I am sorry I said that. I did not even know all that stuff until they told me. I was not intending that as any sort of accusation to embarrass everybody, but apparently there was a different context to that than I had not originally imagined. Yes, I should just shut up and not say some ridiculous thing about that.  

Which Reminds Me

Yes, it is really no concern of mine, which counties of Texas are wet or dry in terms of legal terminology. It is not in my power to flip a dry county just to appease a pack of obnoxious whiners. And also killing them would not be a legal option, so I will just leave it at that.

Which Reminds Me

Yes, when my name is on the paperwork, perhaps I may serve a short time as the custodian of the paperwork, although the originals remain at the legal offices so just stealing my copy out of the mailbox at least does not really give any legal power to those control freaks, fortunately.

Which Reminds Me

Yes, I vaguely remember when I was hearing it put that way, years ago, which scared me to death, so that meant there was every reason to never go there and to avoid the horrible Jim at any cost. Why should I try to bake a cake when already they have a graduate of the army-paid-for cooking school making mudpies for them?

Which Reminds Me

Yes, it is a bit disappointing to learn that you are only channeling Steve, who was only a slightly annoying blip originally, but now, well, I can chalk that up to the Detroit bummers. So maybe you are an Ohio guy and here I am surrounded by some very nasty vicious Michigan sharks. And I do not even understand what the problem was.

Which Reminds Me

Yes, it is true that in the gas and oil business paperwork is everything. So where is the paperwork that was mailed to me in September and has not yet arrived in January? Why would the post office care about my paperwork? What wicked beastie postal worker should be arrested for interfering with the due process of mail delivery? And why would I even say such a ridiculous thing about someone? So, have those wretched beasties gone postal now? 

Which Reminds Me

Yes, there is an interesting coincidence to note, which is that my grandmother's grandfather was a certain person named Willis Abner May (1848-1871), who died at age 23 when struck by lightning, leaving behind a wife and one daughter, Ida May, but I don't suppose that would have anything to do with Dogpatch cartoons. That would just be too ludicrous to contemplate. But we already discussed this point years ago. I get no relief from their nonsense so here we go again. 

Which Reminds Me

Yes, I vaguely remember, in reference to Colombia, that it was somewhat unfortunate that Steve Graner and Judy Bartel had cluttered the airwaves with a bunch of verbiage about their own wonderfulness, which sort of makes it confusing as to, whatever, was there something that I was supposed to say about them? I would just as soon not be bothered.   

Which Reminds Me

Yes, I vaguely remember years ago hearing that someone, I forget who, was wanting to make a point about the dilemma of what to do with all of these discarded ex-wives, now that their polygamist husbands have converted to Christianity and/or monogamous practices of Western Civilization. Apparently that is quite a problem in India and some other parts of Asia where the native religions do not strictly prohibit bigamy and/or polygamy. If they are persuaded to come out as Christians, they may decide to keep only one wife and discard the other women or dismiss them from marital duties. Yes, I vaguely remember hearing that someone was saying something about that, but I do not quite see what that would have to do with me. I probably won't lose.much sleep at night worrying about a matter that is not directly my concern. I am not particularly worried about that now, knowing that certain persons seem to be locked away in mental hospitals already, so there is nothing that I would need to say about that. I would not want to discourage the faith of persons who might be choosing to do or not do the right thing. 

Which Reminds Me

Yes, I noticed that you were saying something about Phyllis, a nice lady who worked at the office, but she was not a Philistine, so you are just barking up the wrong tree.

And what would that have to do with those little brats that I remember from maybe 1982? Their name sounded like True-Teen, but no, they were not teenagers, and anyway we were not that close. I heard they were gone Dutch or bankrupt or something. Forty years is a long time to not stay in touch and still remember who they might have been in other circumstances.

Which Reminds Me

Yes, and then there is the Bahamas connection, but you should not try to get that from me. I have never been there and don't know much about it.

Which Reminds Me

Yes, I imagine we will not be seeing very much of them in future, now that they are long gone to explore the frozen tundras of Sweden. And for what do we need Steinbeck's hellish nightmare-vision for America? Sounds like a labor union's armed camp ruled by control freaks, not really a place that I would want to live long-term.

Whch Reminds Me

Yes, how clever of you to notice the odd coincidence of yourself pointing out that Dauna's mother's maiden name is Cross, in contrast to the surname Crouch being some sort of permutation of the name Cross, and then there is also Ted Cruz, whose name means Cross in Spanish, his wife Gwen Nelson being one of those Adventist people, and then there is my high school classmate Patricia Cruz whose relationship to Nicky Cruz is not quite clear as yet, a Caribbean thing, and all of these people congregating somewhere in the vicinity of Charing Cross Road. And who knows what other Cross connections they may have in store for us there. And how would I know that? 

Which Reminds Me

Yes, I suppose that if you are going to go to  the Port of Acajutla, you might want to hire a trucker and make sure that your stuff is taken care of, don't just leave your stuff sitting there on the dock to be carted away by whoever happens along and finds it there. Oh, thanks Mom. There is no guarantee that anything would be left to send along later by the time they finish rummaging through it all.

Which Reminds Me

Yes, I would be reluctant to delve any deeper into certain matters, better to leave that in its place untouched, because I cannot be sure that a Grenade might not explode, and I am not equipped or trained to handle that type of explosive situation, I cannot see where all of these Grenades are comfing from.

Which Reminds Me

Yes, I vaguely remember that Patricia Allwood was a high school classmate of mine, she was a friendly person although we were really not that close. She probably still lives there, or can easily live there, because her mother was probably Salvadoran, her father American, so she probably could go either way if she wanted to, but I never really did catch how she might be connected to Biden. Possibly that would be a useful contrast to another high school classmate, Patricia Cruz, whose politics probably were on the Right Wing side of things. But I am only guessing, I really never discussed politics with them. No one dared to mention politics in high school other than Miss Marken, our teacher who entertained us with monologues about her summer of Watergate Hearings. But I really would not know anything about that. I was not there when all of that was hatched.

Which Reminds Me

Yes, I vaguely remember during high school, for hs report on poetry analysis, Raymond dissected Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven." He seemed to indicate that the song is referring to an actual person who lives in New York, maybe even New York City, but I did not quite catch what was her name. Sometimes these poetical glosses do not indicate very much about reality. 

Which Reminds Me

Yes, I vaguely remember some people from college who, well, maybe I did feel somewhat stabbed in the back at times, but anyway, I really do not want to expend too much energy on flailing against my enemies, whether real or imagined. Such negativity just sucks up a lot of energy if or when I do that, and then what?

Which Reminds Me

Yes, I vaguely remember, the only thought that I ever had of Malta during high school, was when Raymond during his report in English class mentioned that you could go there to buy a title of nobility. He said that is the easiest place to get a title of nobility. Some people may be willing to part with those titles for money. Maybe you want to be a Count with the papers patent to prove it? Well, then Malta might be the very place where you could go to secure an ostentatious title of upward mobility. For $1 million you could be the Count of Wherever. But it is very expensive, and does not necessarily include the benefits of birth into the nobility. But anyway, I have already explained this high school point more than once, and yet the spin machine continues to churn and churn.

Which Reminds Me

Yes, I sort of noticed that quite a few people are trying to squeeze in through the worthless Dauna door, and so that means that you are now locked outside in the bitter cold as far as I am concerned. Oh, the things that we did not yet know during college days.... 

Which Reminds Me

Yes, that would be interesting to see. Why don't you go ahead and vomit that thing you are choking on, so that we can all see what you really are, instead of just writhing and slithering around like maybe a snake. That would be interesting to see, for sure.

Which Reminds Me

Yes, that would be interesting to learn about the stellar career of recording artist and singer/songrwriter Diane Roberts. I really have not heard anything recently. Wasn't she one of those Reformed Dutch people? And didn't she pay to take advanced music composition lessons from Johnny Carl at the Crystal Cathedral? And she often sang in chapel, unique songs that she had written, so obviously she has the talent for that, so there was some crossover during college between our church and the Dutch Reformed people, because anyway we are not Dutch Reformed people, and I really do not know that much about them, but they were there also. 

Which Reminds Me

Yes, I vaguely remember the time that Miss Pilarinos said that she felt like a spare tire, given that she was a single woman having to work with all of these married couples with families. She was never shy about saying things like that n front of everybody, so why would everyone be so surprised that these things get passed around, and anyway everybody knows that it is never that easy navigating life as a single woman.

Which Reminds Me

Yes, and who was that, during high school, who was filling my head full of silly Pollack jokes? How many Pollacks, he would say, does it take to screw in a lightbulb, et. etc. 

And for what do I need this silly loopy loop-de-dupe road to nowhere?

Which Reminds Me

Yes, I vaguely remember when Di invited the girls for a sleepover, but I did not attend that, not because I was ever guilty of gossiping about them, but because I was already very tired of being the target of her gratuitous attacks, as if I should be confessing to something. Confess to what? I never talked about them. There was nothing to say. Does my face look like a dartboard to you? Well, it's not. I am not a dartboard to punch and throw things at for your own self-interested convenience. 

Which Reminds Me

Yes, all of these goads seem to be prompting me to say something about how crazy chatterbox dingbat Anita is not the top-stone of anything at my house, but I digress. Yes, I never gave much thought to the shrill caterwaulings of Anita Stone, a high school character of not much importance from my point of view. Anita who? I never thought much about the Stone family during my high school days. I would prefer to keep my fingers and toes attached in the correct order, thanks anyway. 

Which Reminds Me

Yes, you are reminding me, and I already explained this but people always forget what I say, that it was really very nice of Ivonne to explain something about that to me, during high school, because anyway that helps to spare me from saying some ridiculously uninformed thing about persons who, I am not quite sure who they all are, or how they are all connected to some dimly understood very dark and dreary episode of WWI history. I wish that I could pass that along, the way that she explained it, but her words do not fit in my mouth. I cannot quite think what to say about that, because anyway I am not hearing any intelligent thought coming from the Dutch Reformed people. They seem to be throwing around tacks willy-nilly without any idea of what they are saying, but I never attended any Reform school so I really do not understand what their problem is. 

Which Reminds Me

Yes, interesting how these people are answering that I never really asked. Should I have asked or be asking that question? Makes me wonder.

Which Reminds Me

Yes, I noticed that I am getting really too much mail from the advertising department, given that office hours are closed now. They asked me to stop by their party a couple of blocks down the street, and I find them staging me into a photo that was sort of false and  misleading, I have to say, in case you did not know how that was all staged, so that was the only time that I went to their party, thanks. But that brings up the question of what would a clueless advertising person know about truth in advertising? Some of them are nice, but usually I try not to interrupt their cheerleading sessions, when she has the office decked out like a kindergarten classroom. Where do they find these people to hire anyway? I can go and come from my office separately without bothering them or vice versa. I do not really want to know about their amazing deals with the advertisers as long as the company is paying my salary portion. They know stuff than I would do not really need to know.