Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Alternate Ending for "Keeping His Memory Alive"

Just to say that I'm writing this blog and the book "Poor Widow Me" at the same time.  It's a memoir, written from today looking back.  I'm rethinking yesterdays ending to the blog "Keeping His Memory Alive" and I wrote an alternate ending. 


Hoping you might take a moment to let me know which version you prefer and why -  either as a comment here or to my e-mail address:
CScibelli@aol.com  or on Facebook


Thanks everyone!

As I write this I see that we may have dropped the ball on our vow to keep Jimmy’s memory alive. I know this is natural. Even at the very beginning I knew it. I remember a friend’s 90 year old mother called me a few weeks after Jimmy died and said,


“I’ve been a widow since I was 60 and there are still nights when I lay in bed watching David Letterman and I turn to my husband’s side and I say out loud, “That was a good one, right Larry?” she said.


First of all, I was amazed that at 90 she still remembered she was ever married. And, 30 years later she's chatting it up with a cold sheet and an empty pillow? Who does she think she is, Yoko Ono?

I said, “Mimi, is this supposed to make me feel better?” She laughed. I thanked her for calling and after I hung up just for my own amusement I added, “Say hello to Larry for me.”

7 comments:

  1. Better ending. Funnier. More pointed. (I love the Yoko Ono line.) Guess she has a problem breaking old habits!
    David Letterman debuted in 1982! A little dimensia???

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  2. Poor Widow Me7:43 PM

    Thanks...the David Letterman is a current thing she does with her dead husband...not something she used to do and still does. That's why when it debuted doesn't matter, silly.

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  3. julie7:48 AM

    the ending you choose, depend (to me, obviously) on the reaction you want to inspire: melancholy and mourning or humor. they are both good. i like the funny (second ending) better. maybe you can use the first one somewhere else?

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  4. Poor Widow Me7:51 AM

    Thanks Julie..you're right...appreciate it...

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  5. life on grief street9:14 AM

    I definitely like the new one better. You are a funny lady and after I write my very sad and dramatic poor me blog-I turn to yours for some lightness on the topic. Stick to humor-I laughed at the end and nearly turned to my dead husband Bruce and told him how funny you are.

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  6. Poor Widow Me9:34 AM

    Thanks "Life on Grief Street" - will check out your blog today. I guess since I'm funny I should go with it...good point...love your last line about turning to your husband Bruce...looks like YOU'RE funny, too.

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  7. Cindy Penchina6:41 PM

    Definately like the second ending better. Your humor is makes the subject comfortable. And your 90 year old friend just makes me smile.

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