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Monday, February 20, 2017

Titles to Write By, The Monday Muse, Being Thankful

"Titles" is an occasional blog post in which we play with a single word and turn it into, what else, titles! Afterwards the object is to pick one of them and write a little something.

It was Ray Bradbury, in his book ZEN IN THE ART OF WRITING, who taught me about making lists of words and turning them into titles. If you haven't read it I highly recommend it.



For no particular reason, 
today's word is:
Waffle



The Waffle House
Wet Willie the Waffle Whiffer
Waffle Misses Monkey
Waffle, Waffle, Who's Got the Waffle?
Waffling Waffles
The Awful Waffle
To Waffle or not to Waffle
Waffle Has Two Meanings


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In which we dress up as one of the nine muses and pretend we're Greek.
Waffle Misses Monkey

Sometimes a long ago memory arises out of nowhere. It pops up while you're doing the dishes, searching for that lost sock, or watching TV. The thing you're doing isn't the trigger that releases the memory -- like a helium balloon rising out of the dark depths -- it's something else, something mysterious and metaphysical.

I've wondered, when it happens to me, if the person  who has suddenly come to mind isn't thinking of me.

Such was the case the other day when Monkey's face swam up from the depths. Intelligent and well read -- studying psychology -- Monkey was not a GQ model. He wasn't homely either but sat somewhere between the two extremes. He'd acquired the nickname in elementary school because his large round ears stuck out from the side of his head like a pair of  wings, and though the name was meant to be derogatory, Monkey made it his own.

What he didn't have in dashing good looks he made up for with dashing chivalrous behavior. He was kind, humorous, attentive and I fell hard. Because I loved waffles he'd occasionally bring them to me at work, or made them on a Sunday morning. It's why he called me his Sweet Waffle. Our friends even introduced us as Waffle and Monkey, always a good conversation opener.

But youth, being in a constant state of flux and change, doomed our relationship from the start. Our parting had nothing to do with anything either of us did, it was just the way things were. He went on to get his doctorate, and I was left behind.

So thoughts of him took me by surprise and for a moment a sad, wistful melancholia settled around me and held me close. It was warm and comfortable. I'll always remember Monkey with fondness.

"Waffle misses Monkey," I thought, and wondered if he ever missed me.

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Today I'm thankful for the rain we got, even if two inches of it came in 30 minutes!

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What are you thankful for? Have another waffle title to add to the list? Even have a long ago memory of someone pop up that made you feel happy/sad? 

10 comments:

  1. Yes, it's weird what triggers us thinking of something. I have that quite a bit with thoughts of my husband. Glad you got lots of rain. We're having almost 60 degree whether this week. Unheard of in Michigan in February, but beautiful.

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    1. The weather certainly has been "strange" this winter. Yesterday I was out working in the yard in shorts!

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  2. Memories like that can hit out of the blue. You should see if you can track him down.

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    1. Well, Diane. Don't know that I can track him down since he's a figment of my imagination! LOL

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  3. Alice in Waffleland. (Sorry I couldn’t help myself)

    Often I will be thinking about something else and a melody, a word or even a smell will send me back to some long-ago time. Most of these memories or thoughts are happy, but occasionally they make me sad or perhaps wistful is a better word.

    I’m thankful for warmer weather just around the corner, and it can’t come soon enough for me.

    Have a lovely week.

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  4. I am always amazed at what will spark the memory of someone. A smell, the light at a certain angle, music, the list goes one. I agree with Barbara that these thoughts can make me wistful. I am glad Monkey owned his name and made it his own. Nicknames can be tough!
    ~Jess

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  5. That was a great little story. Enjoyed it very much.

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  6. Waffle, such a great word. Something that sparks a memory? Music and a scent of food. Bacon reminds me of breakfast on our farm.

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  7. I started Ray Bradbury's book, but I haven't yet finished it. What a fun idea--love your waffle titles!

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Your Random Thoughts are most welcome!