Hello In There

I was walking down 42nd street one day, I wasn't workin'42nd street I was walkin 42nd street.
And this amazing thing happened to me. It was July it was about 89 degrees. It was hot, hot for New York
You know and I was walking east and this humungous person was coming west.
And she had this big blue house dress on peppered all over with little white daisies.
She was almost bald but sitting on top of her head, forehead you know, on her forehead was this fried egg.
Which I thought was really unusual. Because in New York City the ladies with the fried eggs on their heads
don't generally come out until September or October you know.

Here was this lady, this demented lady with a little fried egg on her head in the middle of July.

God what a sight and ever since I saw that lady not one day goes by that I don't think of
her and I say to myself "Oh God, don't let me wake up tomorrow and want to put a fried egg on
my head. Oh God.

"Then I say real fast I say " Oh God, If by chance I should wind up with a fried
egg on my head", cause sometimes you can't help those things you know, you can't.

I say to myself "don't let anybody notice."

And then I say real fast after that "if they do notice that I'm carrying something that's not quite right and they want to talk about it, let 'em talk about it but don't let 'em talk so I can hear. I don't want to hear it."

Cause the truth about fried eggs, you can call it a fried egg, you can call it anything you like, but everybody
gets one, some people wear 'em on the outside, some people they wear 'em on the inside."

Bette Midler

I have this theory- if there is something you need to know- something maybe you were...avoiding. Like something you need to do, but are... putting off DOING. The universe lets you hear it. Repeatedly. From the most disparate places. Like a friend will call out of the blue after being out of touch for years. And then a bag lady will say it. And then- it's in the Wall Street Journal and before you see in written by a skywriting plane you say "OK! OK already! I got it."

Whatever it is. You can't avoid the truth when it wants hearing.

Last night's post was really close to- well- a bit of truth. Real truth. And I just put it out there. And struggled all night long. Take it off- I thought- no one needs to hear that- it's not FUNNY. Or newsworthy. It's just a little internal battle and it can stay inside.. or could it.

This morning K's phone number was on the caller ID. I called back- "just checking up" he said. "I'm FINE, great wonderful. " I said. "I know you're ok." he replied. I just wanted to TELL you that you were OK." OK...

VLH called just to gloat a little about his perch on a palm shaded veranda, and to say ... well, not everything should be so public- but in his words-it was all good.

And then I ran into an old friend from the big enormous paper store. She ran out from under a building overhang and grabbed me as I walked by bear-hugging me and almost knocking me over. "Keep writing, Mel" she said. "Thank you for saying the stuff I didn't, and wanted to."

And I picked up a book. On becoming human. It stresses that for the world to be a better place. It begins with being vulnerable and openly imperfect. If I say I am scared, or flawed.,,, it's a bit easier for YOU to say so as well. Allows the world to love you when you need it. And loving you helps them, too. And allows you to see yourself as not alone- which you were- when you were being so brave and strong and faking your ASS off. And afterwards- it wasn't so much a fake. Loved people are stronger.

And all the way home I thought about K. And my bear hugging friend. And the book I picked up out of a pile at the Salvation Army for a quarter. And how in one naked moment I said "ouch" out loud and got a band-aid and a boo-boo kiss.

So there is something to be said for this mad-crazy fried egg wearing life. And that something is "thanks".

:) X