Something about driving around this town where I grew up. Of course I had to take a picture of the busy crossroads of Partridge Hill Lane and Aberdeen Road.

OMG my porn name would be Victoria Aberdeen!

I know the roads by instinct, the shortcuts to Gramma's house, how to get to school if you miss the school bus. Everything looks so much smaller now. Less frightening. Except my treehouse is gone, and there is this little knot in my stomach. I wonder if it is always so. The past brings up such mixed emotions.

The house where I grew up, in the gloaming...

When i was twelve, we moved in to Boston, Partly because my mom got tired of driving me to ballet class every day. (I was obsessed and driven, and she was no stage mother) But this was home. Greg Gibson, the boy next door and I were inseparable. We rode bikes until we HAD to come home for dinner. We knew all the secret ways to everyone's back doors. The cookie lady at the end of the street was really scary, but if you could get over it, she'd always give you oreos.

And then, today, at the Hertz rental counter, SNAP, back to grown-up land. I was the next one in line behind a woman and her husband who had overheard ME on the phone with the Hertz automated HELLHOLE geniuses, saying my name. They turned and said, "THE Jonatha Brooke? the singer/songwriter?"

me: "yeah, that's me."

them: "We are huge fans."

OMG. They made my day! So then, I eavesdropped as they were dealing with Mr. Hertz dude. Their reservation, I overheard, had been made by Simon and Schuster. I rudely asked them if they were in publishing. (duh, I live for good books)

"No," she said, "I'm a writer." (Oh my heart...) "what's your name, if you don't mind me asking" I said.

"Anita Diamant, I wrote 'The Red Tent'"

me: "No fucking way!"

They were going to a book reading, I can't remember where, because I was in total delirious heaven. I think I was ten shades of crimson, everything else fell away.

ANITA DIAMANT  

We promised each other we would each buy each other's latest. (pet peeve, people who only remember the first thing they ever heard of you!)

I just can't wait to find a book store. And buy the HARDCOVER!

Anita: "the paperback just came out."

me: "I'm a hardcover kind of girl."

Anita: "That's great! Better for me! I'll look for 'The Works'"

day complete