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1996/02/16
the two janets
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She sat, calm, tranquil, reflected in the worn, round mirror above
her dressing table, where the silver brush and comb waited.
Carefully, I coaxed her thick white hair into place with the black
hairpins. I dusted fragrant powder over the dry skin, and daubed
crimson blushes artistically. With feathered touches of the black
pencil, I embellished her sparse silvery brows. While she pursed
her lips, following my quiet instructions, I wielded the burgundy
lipstick.
We gazed together at my accomplishment, the eight year old in
swollen pride, the eighty year old in charmed amusement.
janet paterson
1996/02/16
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this was the result of one of my first writing
assignments at spectrum's online creative
writing course: "Write 100 words about an
unforgettable character." i inflicted these
afternoon beauty sessions on my granny (janet
turnbull paterson, born glasgow, scotland,
1875) frequently in 1955, when we lived at 19
lupin drive in scarborough, ontario, canada.
our ritual always began with hot strong cups
of tea that she had made, along with toy (but
edible, somehow) cakes that i had made (from
toy cake mixes in a toy oven). the climax of
the visit was inevitably that moment looking
at ourselves in the mirror, when she would
admire my work, and declare that "she was all
dressed up, with nowhere to go!" we would
chuckle together at her corny joke, and then i
would take my lighthearted leave, totally
oblivious to what she might have had to endure
to repair the damage!
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addendum 2002/02/26
this evercise in editing to the bone was invaluable.
i started out with a tale of over 800 words,
looked at it, and declared the assignment impossible.
then i saw a way to remove 10 words, and again
looked at it, and declared the assignment impossible.
then i saw a way to remove 2 words, and again
looked at it, and declared the assignment impossible.
then i saw a way to remove 5 words, and again
looked at it, and declared the assignment impossible.
then i saw a way to remove 3 words, and again ... etc
janet
editor from hail
ps
this and all my 'dated' scribbles are in
janet's journal online and are targetted for bookdom
in 'a new voice'
janet paterson: an akinetic rigid subtype, albeit perky, parky
pd: 54/41/37 cd: 54/44/43 tel: 613 256 8340 email: [log in to unmask]
smail: 375 Country Street, Almonte, Ontario, Canada, K0A 1A0
a new voice: http://www.geocities.com/janet313/
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