Mini Me

The time was 1979. Theater major in a community college, working retail in an electronic shop owned by my dad. There was a customer, his name was Paul. The minute he hit the door, I'd say, "No Paul, wrong.." Not very nice, but I'd heard one of the other guys I worked with say it and, well, I was a mimic. He always acted sort of shy and brave all at the same time. Kind of goofy, you know, like a guy who had a crush.

I hung out with theater students who loved taking pictures of each other. I think we imagined they were part of our portfolio of dramatic expressions. The photo was taken of me in a pink fluffy robe under a spider plant. Everything else, the expression and placement of the hands at least, is the same. One of my fellow actors in a show, was an artist. He had a unique quality about most everything he painted. His name was Mitch Geisert (RIP) and refused to paint a pink robe and didn't like the spider plant. I loved the back ground he chose and when I asked, he said it was the background in a cigarette add from a magazine...uh...OK.

Four years later, returned from college, doing small jobs here and there, singing in the community choir, I met up with my former customer in choir. "No Paul", I'd say and we'd laugh. He still looked shy and brave all at the same time. One day he came to my apt. to deliver some music to me. He saw this painting hanging on my wall and liked it a lot, but didn't say anything.

Who would have thought, certainly not me, that 25 years later, he'd make me his wife. Do you think I will ever live down the "no Paul, wrong" thing? Ever? No, I don't think so either.

He still likes the painting.

The artist, after doing stints in New York City and Southern California painting sets, dancing, acting, he returned to Coos Bay...to die. Well, really, he returned to live until he died. Paul was volunteering his life time at a local theater. He and Mitch worked together to create a lovely set for the play, 'Annie'. Paul was with Mitch when he died...at the same time I was with my first husband while he was dying. I wasn't in touch with Paul during the interim and didn't know he was with our mutual friend while I was calling Mitch to see if I could talk with him one last time.

Isn't life weird? The young people we were, all unfolding into the people we are today. Life touches us so deeply, changing this and that, yet some things never change. One thing has changed dramatically. My 'mini me' had come to believe there was no God. She was angry, rebellious, a serious brat and desperately looking for a reason for life. I have grown to disagree with her. I believe there is not only "A" God, but The God. The one who made me and looked out for me and let me finally wake up and marry Paul instead of pick on him.

I'm still a brat, but it turns out Paul likes brats. That worked out just fine.