beautiful and exuberant and brave and sweet
She leaves today for Peace Corps Caribbean. My house will be quiet and empty.
We got each other immediately. The same things were obvious to us both; of course we would ride our bikes, of course we would share food, of course we'd get up early to go to the park, of course she should put on music. The answer to "want to?" was "YES!! Fun." We both know all the lyrics and we both sing loud. We both know the other can do anything she decides to.
She taught me some stuff. She always has art supplies on hand, and she brought them out for projects. I've never thought of having art supplies and I didn't know I could do projects. She didn't pick the things I always pick at the co-op, but I'll be eating anise-fig bread from now on, and I'll think of her when I do. She taught me what I kindof knew, that The Kids Are Alright, that her crew ten years younger than me is activist and involved and feminist and great.
She is goofy. At swimming she'd swim the length of my laps with me, swimming beneath me, facing up, never surfacing, making faces at me. She doesn't know how talented she is. We wrote each other notes and she is one of the best writers I know of, as expressive and inventive as I've ever read, but I can't get her to believe that. She is beloved, because who wouldn't love Ali?
She will have a wonderful time in the Caribbean. I'll see her again. I'll visit her there. Two years is not so long; Anand was gone for ten, but now he's back safe where I can see him lots. She should go; there's more new things for her there than there are in our life here. I will miss her a lot.
posted by Megan at 8:10 AM
7 Comments:
Yay, Peace Corps! You should plan to send her new underwear at six month intervals -- something about tropical weather eats elastic. As well as paperbacks and toys (cards, board games).
She loves games! I will send her games.
Today: "she is one of the best writers I know of"
Two weeks ago: "People have told me over the past year that I am a good writer. I don’t understand what that means, to be a good writer."
So you've figured it out then? Or you've just decided to use the term in your own way, still confused about how others use the term?
Or you've just decided to use the term in your own way, still confused about how others use the term?
That one.
Great photo! sorry u r saying goodbye.
Anise fig bread... soooo good.
Definitely send books and maybe underwear. It can be next to impossible to find good reads, and tropical weather really does destroy elastic in a horrid way.
And Megan, by most definitions, you are a very good writer. You use concise, succinct language, you lay out your points clearly and with a great deal of logic. But there are other readers that can make that case better than I. Besides, I know you don't like much in the way of compliments in the comments, so I'll leave it alone.
Great tribute to a friend. I doubt if pies woulld be a good thing to send...
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