My Betsy the “flower girl”

Three forty-five p.m.

I took a break.

I’m again rocking and thinking.

Danny will soon be making our dinner.

I decided to exercise my feet and take a stroll around the apartment.

Before I leave, I sing my Betsy doll a song to my favorite picture of her in front of me.

She is holding a bouquet of flowers. 

She loved flowers.

She once told me that as a kid, she had a small flowerpot that grew flowers.

It was placed on a ledge outside her window.

Me, a tenement kid, the only flowers I first saw were on the chest of a dead man.

I love flowers, the smell of flowers, but not with the passion that Betty did.

She “glowed” while holding them.

She was always picking dead leaves from them.

I often told her she smelled like a flower.

It brought a smile to her face (and mine).

(July 2, 2021)

Basharth (Yiddish for Meant to Happen)

Lucky me (so far).

I have had many close calls, escapes from death.

Never did I ever expect to reach the age I am, and to still have my marbles.

Just good luck.

Some people have it, some don’t. Some believe our lives are preordained (meant to be)

Perhaps.

Who is to say.

I believe as a mere human being, I will never find the answer. 

I’ve stopped thinking about it. As your life evolves, you (at least I do) go with the flow.

In my youth, I was an atheist.

I no longer am.

I am Jewish and my parents were religious (but not fanatically so).

On “High holidays” they sent me to the local synagogue. On Friday night, my mother said Jewish prayers.

I went to the neighborhood Hebrew school until the age of 13.

When I was 13, I had a Bar Mitzvah – I became an adult.

I used to be an atheist.

Karl Marx said, “Religion is the opiate of the people.”

I believed him – but I no longer do.

Some people need religion. In times of stress and troubles it gives them solace, peace of mind.

I am no longer an atheist nor do I believe in a “Supreme being.”

There is so much poverty and misery in this world. 

If there is a god, why doesn’t he do something?

I believe what I see (show me the money).

I will never know the answer and neither will anybody else.

Morrie Markoff

(June 29, 2021)

Laughlin

Betty (when she was alive), instead of going to Las Vegas, liked to go to Laughlin, usually in the winter months.

We enjoyed the long desert drive – at least I did. She often slept most of the way.

Betty enjoyed playing the nickel slot machines. 

She occasionally won many jackpots. I tried to get her to leave the casino a winner – to no avail.

She played until she lost.

It didn’t matter. She enjoyed playing the machines.

I was told by a former casino employee that the machines are “set” to slowly take your money.

Casino owners don’t gamble. They are “sure” of making a profit.

***

I no longer gamble, although I enjoy watching draw or stud poker.

(July 3, 2021)

Musing

If you want to have a miserable day, turn to a news program on your TV.

First of all, and I’m not a complainer, I have a complaint.

The text describing what is happening in the world does not stay on long enough for old people like me to read.

If you want to know who was murdered, robbed or suffered terrible mishaps, stay tuned.

I do.

We live in a world that could have many improvements. 

I’ve lived through many that have been made, and are being made.

Progress is always slow, but it has and is being made. If I live long enough, I will see them.

Who knows. Perhaps I will.

I wish you “good luck” and be as fortunate as I am and have been.

“Morrie”

(June 5, 2021)

Justice

Justice is often depicted blindfolded holding a set of balanced scales in her hand.

This is meant to indicate the impartiality of justice.

We pride ourselves on our justice system.

“No one is above the law.”

Unfortunately, this is not true.

It’s been proven a fact that the more money you have the more “justice” you get.

In my world travels, I have gone to foreign courts. My conclusions have been that despite the inequities, if I had to stand trial for some infraction of our laws, I would prefer it to be in an American court.

(May 28, 2021)

Me, Morrie

I sit, rock and wonder.

Why am I still here and functioning? 

Am I a freak?

What did I do right?

I know what I did wrong (like smoking two packs of cigarettes a day and when I got home I switched to my pipe).

Morrie, I’m often asked, “What’s your secret?” (Maybe because I never inhaled). Perhaps, I wish I can give my longevity, if I had any, to them.

Betty and I did do something that I believe extended our lives. Almost every day, depending on the weather, before breakfast, we walked around Silver Lake, a distance about 3 miles (it took us less than an hour).

Our secret? Could be.

We outlived all of our friends.

If I have a secret, it’s walking, keeping active during the day.

Legs need to be exercised.

So – my secret may be that I walk, and despite my age (107) I still walk.

I use a folding walker. I walk around my apartment at least five times before breakfast.

When Danny sees me walking, he gives me the “thumbs up.” It’s what he should be doing, he knows it, but doesn’t.

For sure, sitting all day and watching TV is not conducive to longevity.

Walking may be my secret.

(June 22, 2021)

Tenacious Trump

If there is anything admiral about Donald Trump is that he never gives up. He is tenacious.

He never gives up….

He will keep trying. We, you and I have to be alert and thwart his efforts. So far, we, the voters, have.

Let’s keep doing so. It took many years to finally get many of the progressive laws passed.

I feel we are lucky having Joe Biden as our president.

Donald Trump would give me nightmares. 

Who needs that.

(June 25, 2021)

“Betsy” Doll

There is a void in my life – Betty.

I miss the half smile she almost always had on her face.

I miss holding her soft hands.

She was the “best,” as a mother, a traveling companion, and as a wife.

I never, never “fooled around.”

With Betty as my wife, I “had it all.”

Again, I am “one lucky Dude.”

(June 22, 2021)

Taix

Save Taix restaurant?

Absolutely!!

It’s iconic, a landmark. Innumerable historic events were held there.

I came to L.A. in the ‘30s.

One day, I visited Echo Park to see Harry, a friend who was a pattern cutter in the schmata (garment industry), a high paying job when jobs were scarce.

“Morrie, let’s go to Taix for lunch on me.”

I was impressed with the decor, with its size. At that time, with little money, I didn’t eat in restaurants like Taix.

I remember eating their lunch special. A gut-busting full meal for 35 cents.

When I found a job in the movie industry operating klieg lights that paid the union wage of $1.25 an hour (unusually high pay for the times) while living in Echo Park, I ate at Taix often.

I was living the “good life.”

Destroy Taix – hell no!

It would be a travesty.

(June 3, 2021)

Musings: Emily and Haile

I’ve said it before and I’m saying it again – I have so far been “one lucky Dude.”

I’ve had some rough spots in my life (very few people did not).

Here I am, and at the age of 107 in pretty good shape, and so is my family.

Danny drove me to see the T-shirt printing facility of Haile and Emily – Ink Squad L.A.

Very impressive.

My heart “glowed.” They may not know it, but this is the best time of their lives, their “halcyon days.”

Two young married people, deeply in love, working together building a business. 

They brought back memories of Betty and me.

They are and will keep expanding their business.

They showed us a sample of their end product.

A T-shirt with a stamped design (very innovative.) Haile is very talented.

My wish and hope is that they prosper and when the time comes, raise a loving family.

(June 3, 2021)