A Wrinkle in Time

A group of 7th graders, fluent flyers as I call them, chose their new English novel today. The book they chose turned out to be the book my friend, Merrie Jean sent to us for our English lab. (she sent us a set of 13) Merrie Jean is the friend I have had longest in my life and this story, A Wrinkle in Time, was one of her childhood favorites. Our families moved next door to each other on Buchanan Street in northeast Minneapolis when we were both about two or three years old. Our friendship has never wavered or faltered, although sometimes a few years would go by without our staying in touch. Our families shared a phone line on Buchanan Street, called a party line in those days. One night my father was making a call to Santa Claus and Merrie's mom picked up the phone and overheard just how the girls in our household were measuring up. Merrie Jean moved away when she was eight or nine to the suburbs, but we continued to maintain our friendship. I fondly remember my overnights at her house in Minnetonka. "Stop giggling girls and go to sleep," her mom, Marilyn, would tell us. I, of course, lover of sleep, went to sleep but Merrie Jean pulled out her trusty flashlight and read into the wee hours. Merrie Jean introduced me to my ex-husband. She had been dating Jerry and one evening, when they had a date scheduled, she had fallen ill and she told him to call me and ask me to go to the concert at Northrup Auditorium. (The rest is history, but I forgave her years ago since I have the most wonderful daughter in the world because of that relationship) At the time, I remember being so glad just to have a date. We were both in each other's weddings back in 1971 and she and Carter will celebrate their 4oth wedding anniversary next year. I will never forget the comfort I felt when Merrie Jean walked in the door to my mother's wake, over ten years ago now. The year I left for Cabo, she invited me to her father's 90th birthday. I had not seen Will in a couple decades and I was sure he would not remember me. I approached Will and a smile lit up his face, "Jeannie" he cried and then I cried.

Merrie Jean also sent us a computer program for our bank of 5 computers which had no software. Patty is going to install the program Merrie Jean sent us tomorrow. Patty does not do school work of any kind at home, but she did take home the software Merrie Jean sent us and she was all a glow today telling me how wonderful the new software was. The miracles just keep a comin' here.