Dru, Steinbeck and the Book of Deer

Dear Juliet Yes, okay, I'm flattened today. Fighting with BT and five too many cups of coffee at lunch. Quite the sugar punch... So I'm as flattened as the Scoobies were in "Smashed" , so I'll just write down anything I can think of because you're worth writing to every day. Five calls tonight, Albrighton near Shifnal. I'll probably park in the middle of town and walk to them. Unfortunately, the rain is on and it's cold. I guess I'll survive, though. Got my 'flu jab yesterday, too, and I'd recommend you get yours if you can. I know the 30th in Toronto is coming. I hope you'll enjoy it. If nothing else, you'll be on my mind all evening. That's a comfort. I always said I liked having you around, and that wasn't an offhand comment but an honest one. You were always worth it. I guess that'll have to do for today, but please remember I made myself say everything I could say. Love, James

Dear Juliet Dru does still sing Scarborough Fair ... She walked up the stone steps to his grave every day, softly singing Scarborough Fair as she went on her way. Sometimes she took daisies, often she made posies, but most times she took roses and laid them gently on the cairn as tears scalded her eyes. She’d look down the long valley and out at the pale blue sea.   Ocean and heaven met in   a blessed shimmer, and if the ravens were flying she could hear them no more. She supposed the scene could be called beautiful, but the sun stirred no more passion in her breast.   Her love was bones beneath the earth and Avalon, the little town by the shore, more prison camp than paradise and idyll. ( Spike & Dru : the Graveyard of Empires ) I actually had a look at Avalon's cemetery and found a cinematic grave for Xander. The description of the long valley is completely inaccurate, but it sounded great so I left it like that. But tomorrow is another day, and while the har...

Dear Juliet I suppose I'm going to get shouted at for that one. However I am indeed, like Sherlock, not dead . The CT scan was very good, the cardiology scan was good. I seem to have two old and small nodules somewhere in my left lung but they don't seem to be problematic. Not a bad walk, pretty wet. Ducks still remember you. I also found a way of archiving my old emails direct to the Dell so even if BT descends deep into the fiery pits of Hell (one can hope), all the important records will be preserved. So I will be out there again shortly, looking down upon miscreants from the rooftops and bringing law to the lawless on the brute streets of Broseley, but it's not too long a night tonight. Good luck with Toronto on the 30th, and at least it's not too long 'til Motor City... And whatever you do, don't try to drive this car when you're there ! Christine was a Plymouth Fury, but Spike's DeSoto Fireflite was from the same stable... Give me downtown Bridgnor...

Dear Juliet Sorry, I was just trying to get some vital emails away from BT's tentacles... Also, clear of cancer! Hope you're okay. Love, J.

Dear Juliet Small world. It looks like our autism group leader's second cousin stayed in a penthouse atop the El Royale apartments just south of Vine Street. It seems they were most famous as locations and backdrops for Double Indemnity and Dynasty . I stayed about half a mile away from them in January 2024. Double Indemnity ... The irredeemable bad girl? Except... No you aren't. I know you, and you aren't. Also, you aren't. I can't put it much clearer than that, but here's a thought: That's more the real you. The girly-girl in pink, not the harlot in scarlet. You're not withering on the vine. That good girl's still there. I remember her. You're still there. All you have to do is be the real you. I think that's as deep as I'll go for today. Love, J.

Dear Juliet Got into a fight with BT again, and now I'm going out to another autism group meeting now. Sorry. But I will be back. I will look forward to writing to you later. I always do. Love, James