Wednesday, March 02, 2011

bag lady


My car broke down yesterday.

So there is that to talk about.  

It started with the radio cutting out. Suze Rotolo was being interviewed by Margot Adler.  Margot read this passage written about Suze by Bob Dylan in his autobiography.  It was pretty vivd and strong worded and totally enchanting, and right when Margot asked for Suze's response to these words the radio went dead.

That pissed me off pretty good.  

Then the car jerked and sputtered and came to a stop right in the middle of traffic.  And my hazards didn't even work.  

And I had a sweaty bandana on my head because I was coming home from the gym and running errands.

But the most amazing thing happened.

It was a pretty dangerous situation because cars couldn't see that I was stopped and they kept coming up really fast and then swerving to miss me.  This went on for a good five minutes or so and then my knight in shinning armor showed up. Sugar Daddy? No. He was at work.  

This knight was about seventy years old with a derby cap and a Members Only jacket.  He parked behind me and turned on his hazards.  

Sweet Mr. Derby man. I'll love you forever.

The story ends with me walking home in my bandana, with my shopping bags in my black greasy hands and only one shoe.  

Frankly I'm surprised I wasn't arrested for vagrancy.

But this is the stuff of life though eh?  

It's the day to day occurrences that build our life.  There are crappy times and really super good times and all the squishy matter in between.

Sometimes you eat crow, sometimes you eat macaroons. That's what I always say.  Well, not really. That just came to me just now.

So here's my point. I do have one. I think.

What I want to say today is when next I find myself nibbling a macaroon or a baby cheek I'm going to remember to cache that happiness so next time I am walking down a road with only one shoe and grease smudges, like a bag lady, I can draw on those specks of sweetness and laugh heartily out loud at life.

But not in front of any cops.




Don't think twice, It's alright by Bob Dylan
MusicPlaylist




8 comments:

Leslie said...

Oh man, what a rotten thing to hppen! On the bright side, it sounds like you didn't have any of the kids with you. I heard that same interview and had to come home and look at that album cover that made her so famous. Hope today is better for you!

Jill said...

First let me begin by saying ... I am really sorry that your car broke down and I love your great attitude. But I'm sorry ... I have this mental picture of you, the fashionista that you are, trudging down the street all sweaty with one shoe missing ... and quite frankly, it gives me a good little chuckle! I'm sorry! I don't mean to laugh at your expense, but hey, that's what friends are for, right?

I love ya!

laurie said...

Don't ya just love those days...can I ask why just one shoe? What a nice man to stop and help you...it makes you feel good that there are a few good men left out there. :)

Molly said...

Oh man I loathe car trouble with a purple passion! Sorry you had to walk home with one shoe and yes why only one shoe? Hope it's not a lot to fix your car, I'll keep ya in my prayers chicky!
~Molly P

Elizabeth said...

I'm loving your blog posts of late. I nearly had to stop the car yesterday as I listened to the Suze Rotolo tribute on NPR, just to shed a few tears. I'm a Dylan junkie -- and there's something about him getting so old and all these people in and out of his life dying -- well -- it choked me up.

Thanks for that terrific version of Don't Think Twice --

I hope today goes smoother --

Kari said...

And, it makes for a killer "you are not going to believe what happened to me story." The kind that keeps getting better and better with each new detail. (What happened to your shoe?)
Hope today is better.

Unknown said...

Okay. One shoe.

I had taken off my sweaty gym socks and was just wearing these cheap rubber shoes to run errands and I rubbed a huge quarter sized blister onto the back of my heel.

I literally could not wear the shoe anymore. I couldn't walk home in my spin shoes so I just had to walk home with one foot bare.

Jennifer said...

I have to agree, the mental visual of this is amusing for a moment but the soundtrack of your explitives playing in my mind is what really what makes me snicker! Really...what a day. I am sorry for you and next time, call me, silly! You deserve a present.