Torn Birds

Dear Sage and Sabine, First and last time I went to visit our Lola Rosa in SF was 21 years ago (1985) While Dy and I were in her apartment she noticed that I was rifling through one of her favorite books- Colleen McCullough’s “The Thorn Birds.” Right there and then she gave the pocket book to me as a gift. About a week ago, right after I got back, I started flipping through it again. It’s already old and weathered. Each page is the color of dark parchment stained by twenty years or so of exposure to the elements. The book is really endearing because of all the Non-Medical books I’ve read, it is the only one I underlined words that were not yet part of my vocabulary. I’m dazzled by my discovery of the book that introduced me to an encyclopedia of words; from something as simple as “ilk” to a “maelstrom” of polysyllabic ones. It is the only Non-Medical book where I made notes along the margins and in some empty spaces between chapters. While reading them I remember that the reason why I have strong ANTI-MALE CHAUVINIST views now is because the author was so good she actually made me sympathize not just with Meggie’s character but with all women. She is one author YOU THREE GIRLS (and your mom Ayheen) have to thank for your Dad’s right attitude.

Tonight, when I came home, I noticed that you guys may have been playing with it the whole day. One of you ripped the last two pages off the book. I’m sure it’s just an accident. But I almost went ballistic. Almost.

So when you guys grow up please remember that even though I sometimes act like a tyrant, I am, at heart, a benevolent dictator who knows how to forgive his kids even when they do the darndest things. Sometimes.