Toward the end of our trip north, my move toward 80 occurred. An August birthday often has seemed less notable than those happening in non-summer months. The month is know primarily for its connection to Hiroshima, our country's leap into the darkest side of "American exceptionalism." Does that sound like an only-child sigh? Yes. What did my 12 year old self think as children at summer camp puzzled over the news. We could not have understood more than that "the war was over."
From the window of our Tacoma, Washington motel on August 5, this dancing green figure sent a welcome, could pass for a birthday wish.
The heat that our son had reported from New York, our daughter from Chicago, had reached the northwest. We searched for a spot to get a good view of majestic, mysterious Mount Ranier.
Found a local free paper, learned there was a used bookstore in the south part of town-- good views of the mountain and the industry on Puget Sound. We had a fine time among the shelves at King's Books. I bought two bread books never seen before; talked with the young man at the counter. He loved New York, was very involved in local theatre. Oh, he must go to the Brooklyn Museum on his next trip--since he has friends in the now-youth-filled Williamsburg.
Because the front window of the store was filled with feminist books, I mentioned that Judy Chicago's Dinner Party was there. "What is that?" Always time for educational input of the feminist sort. He immediately looked it up on the computer, "Looks fabulous!" Yes.
What's the best thing for lunch at Doyle's Bar next door, we asked. "Definitely, the Cubano sandwich." He was so very right.
Driving back to Portland, we heard of the awful murders in a Wisconsin Sikh temple. How often, people, will we allow the rationalizing to continue: that gun control is not the problem...accept that our presidential candidates slip and slid around this monumental issue? Have you signed a petition, written your congressperson?
Read, please, this from The Washington Post, a blog by Anya Cordell, "Sikhs bearing pizza," filled with many insights from her work against appearance-based judgments. In 2010, she received the Spirit of Anne Frank award, is author of Race: An Open & Shut Case, a book I intend to read and share.