Saturday, September 12, 2009

Connections, Virtual and Otherwise

Friday: a day filled with visitors.

First, Devon, a former student about to begin his fourth year at The University of St. Andrew's. Three years ago, when he took a reading elective with me, he read all of an epic in Scots about Robert The Bruce. Now, he's living in and loving Scotland. What a good young man he is.

Then, a young woman with two mutual friends. In town for a wedding, she, her husband, and her mother came to the shop for gifts. Somewhere in the conversation, I realized that she was here for Lori Beth's wedding. At that moment, our mutual friend called, and the young woman handed me the cell phone. I challenged Lori Beth to identify me, which she did, and in the middle of our conversation, I realized I didn't know the name of the young woman in front of me. When I asked, she said "Ebba." I laughed and said I know your old camp friend Whitfield. Ebba completed the phone conversation and then said, "Are you Dr. Hood?" Next, she called Whitfield, so I could chat with her. Almost as soon as we finished, Lori Beth walked in the door. What fun!

Third, Catherine and Florence, who arrived, as planned, from Bell Buckle for lunch and a visit. Such delightful women -- funny, smart, kind, active, interested, and interesting. Lunch at the Blue Chair preceded our visit to the university gallery. They enjoyed Julie's Cloudmapping show as much as I did. We moved on to the Community Garden, where they spent time bending and remarking on this plant and the next. (Both are master gardeners.) They agreed that the garden is a local treasure. Finally, they consented to one photograph in front of The Lemon Fair's garden, which they had admired upon arrival. By the time I got home later in the evening after my weekly movie night with Boo, I was reminded of the power of connections that surprise and extend over time and place and break down the barriers of age in ways I could never imagine.

Ain't life grand!
as my father used to say?

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