SUBJECT>Re: The Good Wife's Guide : 2 POSTER>geoff EMAIL>geoffleone@hotmail.com DATE>1110214515 IP_ADDRESS>uhall-backlab-119t.fdu.edu PASSWORD>aa3znsx.4y15U PREVIOUS>84295 NEXT> IMAGE> LINKNAME> LINKURL>

RE. The Good Wife's Guide Housekeeping Monthly, May 13, 1955

For Jude Goodwin.

Harumph! I don't see any connection between this well written text and the epigraph. I can well believe that something set your mind a-working, but if it's not relevant, let it go!

*

It is a piece heavy on the documentary side, eminently credible, fun to read (though I've never smoked cigarettes with tobacco in 'em), and the rest.

Half way through however I begin to ask myself -- Jeffy Baby, How is it going to end? Well, surprise, surprise, it doesn't end at all!

And I guess that's what they sent me out to say....

Best,

Geoff

*

: 2. Don't ask him questions about his actions
: or question his judgment or integrity.
: Remember, he is the master of the house and
: as such will always exercise his will with
: fairness and truthfulness. You have no right
: to question him.

: After a lifetime of scorn
: (although it might have been just May)
: my best friend Debbie and I met
: in our spot by the tracks.
: Under the trestle, next to the creek
: we hunkered, our feet perched
: on the mossy stones. I had a package
: of my father's Players Filter, real smokers
: didn't do menthol. We giggled.
: We copied her older sister
: and friends, how they smiled
: as the smoke curled through their teeth,
: how their mouths went poot poot,
: we put our fingers together
: like this and like this
: and the slim white wand
: with its red stinger circled
: between us. The fresh green
: salmonberry leaves spun
: and the creek roared
: and I vomited behind the rock
: that looked like an ancient ruin.
: It was still early
: in that 13th spring, but we
: were sweating. I pulled out another
: cigarette and smoked it,
: smoked it until the coal pressed against
: its stinking filter, smoked it like I would
: smoke
: a million more. I vomited five times
: that day, three the next and on the third
: I was able to smoke half a pack
: without even feeling sick.