Editor's Corner

By Mary E. Adair

This issue has many compositions that are about the author's memories, heartwarming, or intense, they live on in the author's mind and now can be revered in our own thoughts. That said, please indulge your editor while she shares a special memory.

My youngest daughter Dottie Olgin at about age 4, packed the little plastic overnight bag my mother had given all her grandkids one Christmas, and left the house. She walked up the sidewalk to the next street and then sat down on her suitcase. The neighbor whose house she was in front of called me (we lived on the opposite end of that block,) and told me she was sitting there. I called her daddy AG at the Monahans News Office and he walked over to the police station across the street and discussed it with Officer Escamilla who got in his patrol car and drove down to park next to Dottie.

He got out and asked if she was ok. She replied she was running away but she was not allowed to cross the street. He offered to take her where she wanted to go, and when she was in the front seat, followed her "turn here" directions for a while, let her hear the siren, and finally she said she wanted to see her mother (after about 30 minutes) so he brought her home. She came in, took her little bag to her room, came to the kitchen, hugged me, and went to watch cartoons on TV. Years later, she said that was probably when she decided she wanted to be in law enforcement. She served as a dispatcher in the local police department, during which time her husband Ruben was with the Sheriff's Department.

Mattie Lennon's "Irish Eyes" Focuses on a new book by Lauren MacKenzie, a former screenwriter for TV, set in the 1990s, titled The Couples.. He also has some news on Tattoos that require innovative ink ingredients. "Introspective" by Thomas F. O'Neill includes a TV interview he did since being back in the USA.

Rod Cohenour, whose column "Cooking with Rod" is popular with interesting recipes, features one for August he thought had been lost. "Armchair Genealogy" by Melinda Cohenour reveals info about the use of DNA in the pursuit of Crime detection.

Danielle Cote Serar, whose column is "A Mother's Lesson," tells about the incident involving her determination to teach her children to respect people in law enforcement and the military forces of our country. Judith Kroll's "On Trek" gives us her view on death, and how it transpires. Marilyn Carnell, author of "Sifoddling Along," sketches a literary portrait of a revered relative's life.. Pauline Evanosky in her column "Woo Woo," shares her process of what she defines as Lucid Reading, so you can try to attain it for yourself.

John McGrath of Ireland returns this issue with two more poems that bring the reader into them as though being on site. "From Mayo to Montrose--Closing The Circle" and "Dark Earth" both evoke powerful images.

Walt Perryman's four poems are "Choices," "Almost Bad Sins," "Our Heroes," and "What Is Rich?" Your editor's family shares her gift of poetic expression, and one of her grandsons, Joshua Adair Wadford composed the poem "War, and her late sister Jacquelyn Earline (Carroll) MacGibbon's poem "Our Parents" is shown.

Bud Lemire's four poems, with illustrations, are "Being Deaf," "Do You Remember Me?," "Every Sound Has Meaning," and "Detour." We are missing John I. Blair with his unique insight into what we might miss seeing entirely until he brings it to our attention in his poetry. We are also missing Bruce Clifford who has extended his leave of absence.

We were blessed today to have a message chat with our co-founder and webmaster, Mike Craner, whose knowledge and expertise keep Pencil Stubs Online actually online. We place our confidence in him as we have in the past and shall continue doing so.