1996/02/16 the two janets

[janet paterson <janet313@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

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     1996/02/16
     the two janets
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     She sat, calm, tranquil, reflected in the worn, round mirror above
     her dressing table, where the silver brush and comb waited.

     Carefully, I coaxed her thick white hair into place with the black
     hairpins. I dusted fragrant powder over the dry skin, and daubed
     crimson blushes artistically. With feathered touches of the black
     pencil, I embellished her sparse silvery brows. While she pursed
     her lips, following my quiet instructions, I wielded the burgundy
     lipstick.

     We gazed together at my accomplishment, the eight year old in
     swollen pride, the eighty year old in charmed amusement.

     janet paterson
     1996/02/16

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               this was the result of one of my first writing
               assignments at spectrum's online creative
               writing course: "Write 100 words about an
               unforgettable character." i inflicted these
               afternoon beauty sessions on my granny (janet
               turnbull paterson, born glasgow, scotland,
               1875) frequently in 1955, when we lived at 19
               lupin drive in scarborough, ontario, canada.
               our ritual always began with hot strong cups
               of tea that she had made, along with toy (but
               edible, somehow) cakes that i had made (from
               toy cake mixes in a toy oven). the climax of
               the visit was inevitably that moment looking
               at ourselves in the mirror, when she would
               admire my work, and declare that "she was all
               dressed up, with nowhere to go!" we would
               chuckle together at her corny joke, and then i
               would take my lighthearted leave, totally
               oblivious to what she might have had to endure
               to repair the damage!

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addendum 2002/02/26

this evercise in editing to the bone was invaluable.
i started out with a tale of over 800 words,
looked at it, and declared the assignment impossible.
then i saw a way to remove 10 words, and again
looked at it, and declared the assignment impossible.
then i saw a way to remove 2 words, and again
looked at it, and declared the assignment impossible.
then i saw a way to remove 5 words, and again
looked at it, and declared the assignment impossible.
then i saw a way to remove 3 words, and again ... etc

janet
editor from hail

ps
this and all my 'dated' scribbles are in
janet's journal online and are targetted for bookdom
in 'a new voice'

janet paterson: an akinetic rigid subtype, albeit perky, parky
pd: 54/41/37 cd: 54/44/43 tel: 613 256 8340 email: janet313@xxxxxxxxxxx
smail: 375 Country Street, Almonte, Ontario, Canada, K0A 1A0
a new voice: 

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