A Tribute

Another Day

Our mind is a remarkable instrument. How grey matter can process and store information is still a mystery to us after years of research. We have built a remarkable civilization using the knowledge stored in the grey matter.

* * * 

This morning, after a stomach-filling breakfast of a bacon and egg omelet by our master chef Danny, I walked around our table five times and then rested in our alcove sofa staring at the high-rise buildings next door.

“Morrie,” I said to myself. “Don’t waste a beautiful day.” Danny was watching TV. I nudged him. 

“Danny, let’s go for a walk in the park.” He got up and showed me an L.A. Times photo. A smoggy scene of Downtown L.A. 90 degrees. Unhealthy outside air conditions. “It’s better to stay here.” 

“You’re right,” I said. “I’ll go do some writing.”

(September 15, 2020)

Trump and the Coronavirus

Donald Trump, our president, our leader, who called the deadly virus a hoax, got the deadly disease. This convinced him he was wrong, it’s real, it’s not a hoax.

He was rushed to a government hospital for treatment.

Lucky for him.

The latest CNN news clip shows him waving to the sidewalk spectators as he was leaving the hospital. 

There is no certainty that he has been cured. He shall soon find out.

 For sure we are living in interesting times. “Readers, do your best to survive them (Pasuff).”

I’m doing my best. I try not to do “stupid” things that will give the “villain” a chance to bite me.

It’s my curiosity. I’d like to see how this dangerous period ends. If I am lucky, I will and “dear reader” you have my best wishes that you will, too.

Mitt Mazel (With luck)

Morrie

(October 1, 2020)

Random Thoughts – The Debate

Last night I watched our president (the worst in my long life) Donald Trump debate Senator Joe Biden. It was ludicrous. Trump is a self-confessed self-evident liar. He has no conscience.

I felt empathy for Biden. How do you parry lies with the truth. You can’t.

Donald Trump is by far the worst president our country ever had.

President Nixon, trapped in illegal activities, had the decency to resign. Decency, a meaningless word to Trump.

Trump has the temerity to say he is blameless.

The latest polls show that he only has support of 28% of the voters.

“You can’t fool all of the people all of the time.”

An effort by voters to have him recalled has been unsuccessful.

It is my belief that Joe Biden, the front runner, will be our next president and an outstanding one.

(September 30, 2020)

Dear Jadwiga & Steve

Betsy, My Love …. Wherever You Are

For seventy years we roamed this earth, visiting many strange lands

Whenever possible holding hands

I miss the softness of your skin

My fervent wish, and it cannot be, is to be with you and our life to again begin

No one knows that when we leave this earth what our futures will be

I hope so

Morrie

(September 9, 2020)

Raging Epidemic

I can always tell when Trump is lying. His lips are moving.

Election day is almost upon us. The polls show that Biden is ahead. I am surprised by the amount of voters favoring Trump. I didn’t think that many people would be that gullible.

Both Trump and Biden are good speakers and make a good case for why you (we) should vote for them.

This is a tough time we are living in. The world is in a coronavirus epidemic. 

People are dying by the thousands every day. Every TV news broadcast shows the amount of people who were infected, the number of people who survived and the number who died. It is, by far, the worst epidemic the world has ever seen. 

I, at the age of 4, lived through the 1918 flu epidemic. Will I live through this one? No one is safe.

Trump appears on TV without wearing a mask. He is our president, our leader and should be setting an example. Instead, he flaunts the advice of his administration’s leading health experts cautioning the public about the deadly coronavirus ravaging the world.

A definition of a fool is a person who does not recognize proven facts, what he sees. 

That is our president. 

Woe is us. Our world is still in the middle of it.

At the age of 106, I hope I’m around. I will take all the necessary precautions to survive this pandemic. Please be prudent, like me. 

Good luck,

Morrie

(September 2, 2020)

Twilight Years

I know I am winding down. The things I had a passion for, photography and long walks, I can no longer do.

My knees won’t let me. 

My love of photography included not only taking pictures, but the collection of photo equipment.

Every Saturday Betty and I, after a most filling breakfast at one of our two favorite restaurants, would follow the directions to neighborhood garage sales. What bargains we saw and couldn’t resist buying. 

Once, I pulled an old Contax camera out of a pile of old ones being offered. 

“How much?” I asked a young girl running the sale. She took it out of my hand, looked at it and said, “How about $5?”

I smiled and said, “You’ve got a deal.”

The camera was perfect. It had a leather case that was torn and needed stitching. The camera had an F2.8 Tessar lens.

I played with the camera for a while. I took many photos with it. 

I had built my own darkroom in the basement of my house. I bought an old Zeiss enlarger from a guy who ran an ad in a local newspaper. I bought large trays and sundry equipment that enabled me to do developing and processing. I bought many books of photography.

I became an expert in the field of photography. It enhanced my (our) enjoyment of travel…Our travels were well documented.

At home, our bookcases are filled with photo albums.…Regretfully, I no longer have the all consuming interest I had in taking pictures. I leave that to my children and grandchildren.

Only Judy has the desire to take pictures. Maybe someday she will have albums of her travel pictures alongside mine in our bookcase. She and her attorney husband, Raymond, before the horrible affliction hit him, traveled widely. Like Betty and I, she has many memories. 

* * *

Last night I got into bed but couldn’t fall asleep. My mind raced with thoughts of Betty.

Finally, I did fall asleep but spent a restless night tossing and turning. When I got out of bed in the morning, the bedclothes were a jumbled mess. Danny, who makes the bed, didn’t say a word. Good at it, in about a minute he had a tidy looking bed. Rarely do I sleep through the night without getting up at least twice to go to the bathroom.

One night I got up almost every hour. I don’t give this problem much thought or importance.

I’m not sleepy during the day. I’ve always done my job well. I think every individual is different. We each adjust our lifestyle and habits to a way that allows us to function.

* * *

So, my life candle is flickering. It won’t be long before it goes out. Is there anything I want? Is there more I can do? I thought about those questions, and the answers, long and hard. My answer is – No.

If I were to die tonight, it would be as a happy man. I and my wife Betty were in love till the end. We traveled all over the world. We raised a wonderful family whom we loved. We lived a long healthy life.

We can only hope everyone is as lucky.

(August 26, 2020)

Biden for President

I’ve just returned from a visit to the apartment of Danny and his wife Gloria. I enjoyed the visit, Gloria is a great hostess.

I was happy to get home to do some writing.

We have one of the most important elections in our lifetime coming up. I listened to the election speeches by Trump and Biden. Biden is a good speaker, clear and forthright. He warned us about the dangers to our democracy faced if Trump is re-elected.

He promised, if elected, to protect and fortify the socially beneficial laws we now have and are in effect solely due to the sacrifices of caring and involved people, many at the cost of their lives. He spoke of the need to keep a vigilant eye on Trump and his avowed promise to rescind and destroy many of the hard fought benefits we now have. Truly frightening.

Biden is the guy I am voting for. He has devoted his entire adult life to public service. He lost his wife and daughter in a tragic auto accident, and his son Beau to cancer.

Despite these gut and heart-wrenching losses, he carried on. 

His liberal and forward looking views I truly believe will make him one of our outstanding presidents.

He speaks from his heart, clearly and convincingly. I feel sure he will be our next president, and a great one.

Trump, a womanizer, a real estate speculator, a casino owner, is not the man I want to lead our country.

“Dump Trump”

August 20, 2020

Raymond

I can’t help think, “Who decides these things?”

The last time I saw Raymond was at Garden Crest in the dining room. Sitting down next to him I said, “Hi, Raymond, how are you doing?” He looked at me and a broad smile of recognition crossed his face. He grabbed the hand I was holding out to him and with a firm grip squeezed it. I often wonder if he really recognized me. 

Life is not fair. Here is a guy at the prime of his life. His mind filled with legal knowledge he will never use. A wonderful wife (Judy). Great kids from a previous marriage.

Raymond died recently.

Death of a loved one is often a good thing. Judy loved Raymond. She devoted her life to him. She loved him with a deep passion. They spent the early years of their marriage traveling extensively.

Like me, she will have many memories.

August 24, 2020