PRE-SPRING by WILLIAM BENJAMIN BREWER (1933-2012)

                              PRE-SPRING
                                     



     Now is the time of little hangy things
That come before the leaf.
Over there's a kite,
But now the hand must sting that holds it
In this month that's not yet spring.

     A certain stir there is for sure,
But waxy grass has yet to nuzzle through the thatch,
And trees are mostly grey or black,
Though many wear a veil
Of olive mostly, here and there of pink.

     Daffodils again have jumped the gun,
By last week's cold front now quite stunned,       
Down-facing, philosophic,
In their sudden loss of innocence...

     And only oaks,
Whose lower limbs still wear
Tattered tutus of last fall,
Only oaks resist to give a hint
Of their seduction by a sign of  renaissance:
Oak trees got to where they are by sternest cynicism,
Across the ages coexisting with that temptress spring.

     A man would better be like these,
But something deep biologic
Makes response to overtures perverse
Of life to be renewed among the greening hills.

A man, I think, in April is
Not so robust as he's daffodillic.
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Although Ben wrote more poems than I have posted, I chose this poem as the last;seems fitting since he died last spring.April 6 

   WBB 1956

WHERE OH WHERE HAS MY HOLLYWOOD GONE?

I heard the academy awards show would be on this past Sunday evening; I thought, "So what?"  

I didn't care to see it live, so I taped it so at a later time I could fast forward to parts I liked. Then yesterday I found I didn't even want to do that; so I erased the whole program. I no longer have the Hollywood of my childhood.

                               HOORAY for HOLLYWOOD
                                   OF MY CHILDHOOD!!

         
Every Saturday afternoon without fail, the neighborhood kids would form a long line outside the Rialto, which was only a block from where we lived. ALL of us knew each other from school. We got there before they started selling tickets so we could talk to each other.  The manager would not allow ANY CONVERSATION once inside. 

There were two features,    serial (such as THE  GREEN HORNET,  cartoons, & coming attractions...we were there from 2 until 5 o'clock. In the summer time we also went on Friday nights...usually there would be a more serious (and to me boring) movie. The tickets were 12 cents and 35 cents. My little brothers went with me and sometimes a  cousin too. 

                                   MOVIE MAGAZINES

My neighbor friends and I were quite young when we discovered movie magazines, which actually cost very little. 
At the most 10 cents.



We liked to cut out the pictures and paste them into scrapbooks. But the best part is we found the so call addresses of the stars. So we wrote them fan letters. And would you believe the studios actually sent back autographed pictures...it was so exciting when the mail came. Of course our mail from Hollywood went into the scrapbooks too. That only went on a few years, but we had such fun with the magazines...not even reading the sometimes unsavory articles.

                          HOLLYWOOD STAR PAPER DOLLS

                                  Paper Dolls: Mills Brothers

 Charlotte and I loved to play paper dolls of Hollywood stars. Usually in the summer time, right after lunch. We each had a large magazine and would use it to house the dolls and clothes. There were  categories (such as dresses, coats, play clothes, etc.) between pages, which would keep them from wrinkling.
  

I remember we acted rather elaborate stories, thought up on the spot. Paper dolls, along with "plyke" (play like,) gave us  wonderful opportunities to be creative. And we never minded that the dolls only had one side??!!
   


I think Hollywood has given us magic through the years. Fantasy is a wonderful friend. I guess Hollywood hasn't really changed; I guess I just miss that little girl I used to be...who enjoyed so much about Hollywood.
If you have similar memories, I would love to hear from  you. Love, annie
old7lady9blogger80@gmail.com
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HANGING OUT IN AMSTERDAM until Victory!!

Hilda and I reluctantly caught a cab and went back to the hotel. We were so impressed that everywhere, even here, there were so many bicycles. It actually was a lovely thing to see so many riding bikes.
 
When we went up to our room, we found a message waiting for us. It was in an envelope stuck in the door. It simply had an address and said, "What you are looking for is here." Somehow, we thought it was from that same boy who had been so helpful to us at the coffee shop.

We called the desk and asked if she could find a phone number to go with the address.  In just a few moments she called back with the phone number. Now what should we do? Call first? or simply show up. 

I asked Hilda if I could just lie down for thirty minutes...before leaving. We agreed. 

Soon we caught a cab to a street near the red light district. The apartment building looked seedy. We climbed the stairs to the third floor, then knocked. 

Not Hester but a girl around her age answered the door. We explained that we were searching for a red haired blue eyed sixteen year old girl. Then I said, "Would you excuse me, but as you can see I am an old lady and really need to use your bathroom...then stepped through the door as the girl was trying to say no. Once inside Hilda and I sensed that Gretchen was in that very apartment. 

We both started through the apartment calling, "Gretchen, Gretchen, please tell us where you are." We heard a faint groaning and pushed through a bedroom door. There was Gretchen tied to a chair with a gag around her mouth. We quickly untied her and began leading her out as we put the blonde wig over her red hair and a jacket hiding her clothes.  The girl suddenly tried to stop us...but no use. We were two determined women from Memphis, Tennessee....and there was no stopping us!!

The cab was waiting and we took Gretchen back to the hotel and called her stepfather, the embassy, and her church to let them know she had been found. The youth group had already returned to Memphis. and the leader said Mark had not been able to eat since she was abducted.              

First Gretchen needed a hot bath, a hot meal and some sound sleep before she could tell her mother and me just what happened during the four days she had been held prisoner. 
                               *********
A little later there was a knock at our door: LARRY!! 
                                

He said, "You ladies couldn't keep me away...I know I am an old man, but I thought I might be of some help." Larry never liked to miss an adventure, particularly when it was helping old friends. 

Then we sat down and Larry told us all he had learned in the short time since he arrived in Amsterdam.

He said he had known many people in Amsterdam who owed him favors. He went to see the Chief of Police and asked them to send someone to arrest Hester at the coffee shop. Then another policeman went to Hester's apartment where Gretchen had been held. He arrested the girl there.  
 Hester fac simile
 Both girls were questioned thoroughly;  they quickly and fully admitted everything they had done. They had been operating on their own in a scheme to free Hester's sister from forced prostitution.  

When Gretchen first arrived at the apartment she had the munchies and was so hungry. Hester encouraged her to eat all she could. Then Gretchen slept for 24 hours and was out of it for much longer.

When she came to herself,  Hester was trying to shoot her with heroin.  

A volcano erupted in Gretchen and she fought Hester off; and only with the help of the other girl, could Gretchen be restrained. 
She started quoting Bible scriptures. 
FOR I AM THE LORD. YOUR GOD WHO TAKES HOLD OF YOUR RIGHT HAND AND SAYS TO YOU..DO NOT FEAR..I WILL HELP YOU!!..GOD IS OUR REFUGE AND STRENGTH, A VERY PRESENT HELP IN TROUBLE...DO NOT LET YOUR HEARTS BE TROUBLED AND DO NOT BE AFRAID
and singing hymns (VERY LOUDLY.)  

Gretchen belted out VICTORY IN JESUS with all the power that was within her.

Hester wasn't a very good abductor; she made a mess of trying to administer heroin for the first time; she naively thought she could talk the people who held her sister into swapping her for Gretchen. But Gretchen was a rowdy Christian and more than Hester could handle.

 Every time the gag was removed, Gretchen started singing hymns and quoting Bible verses all over again so loudly  they had to gag her again. 
THE LORD IS MY HELPER I WILL NOT BE AFRAID, WHAT CAN MAN DO TO ME? ..EVEN THOUGH I WALK TROUGH THE VALLEY OF DEATH I WILL FEAR NO EVIL.

Hester was spooked and flustered  by hearing all this and had no idea what to do. When they captured Gretchen, they  thought Gretchen  had been stranded and was alone in Amsterdam. They had no idea what Gretchen was capable of or that Hilda and I would come searching for her.

We were so glad Larry came; he spent the rest of the afternoon with us. Hilda and I shared our experiences in searching.

                              *************
It was time for dinner; so we went back to the roof to eat and hear what Gretchen had to say.

Now that Gretchen was to herself and refreshed, she confirmed every thing Larry had said. But she also said how sorry she felt for Hester who did what she did, not because she was evil but because she loved her sister and felt desperate. "I forgive her."

We lingered on the roof looking up at the sky and feeling so good!

 Then Larry told us of his plans for us!!
  

But first he wanted to show us the Rembrandt House      
and Van Gogh Museum,
  

then drive to Haarlem to see Corie ten Boom's home. 




Then Hilda, Gretchen and I would fly home. 

You won't believe it, but we declined his offer. We were all so exhausted that nothing sounded better than going home as soon as possible. I gave plane tickets to Hilda, her husband, and Gretchen to return to Amsterdam when a little time had passed...

As for me, I will probably skip it!! 

So Larry  gave each of us a large bouquet of tulips,  
also a pair of wooden shoes for each of us as souvenirs.


 So we had all we wanted, most especially  GRETCHEN!!
So this particular pretend trip comes to a close, there MAY be more.

God is good all the time, blessed be the name of the Lord.
Love annie in memphis

old7lady9blogger80@gmail.com  would love to hear from you......
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I want to add for those who think it isn't plausible that Gretchen would have fought her captors with scriptures and singing, the way she did, I remind you: 
THE WORD IS LIKE A TWO EDGED SWORD. ab

HANGING OUT IN AMSTERDAM: SEARCHING REDLIGHT DISTRICT BY DAY

                                   DAY TIME IN AMSTERDAM


The only explanation I have that I could sleep so well is that I was completely exhausted when we got to bed last night. I was having a pleasant dream of home, when the cell phone rang.  Almost 7:15 as you can see on the clock in the picture. Someone hung up?
Wrong number? How?  Was it Gretchen who didn't recognize an unfamiliar voice and hung up? We decided Hilda should answer the phone if it rang again. But the phone didn't ring again.

Everything looked less ominous in the sunlight. We had room service bring us coffee, juice, and sweet rolls and we nibbled. Being daytime we didn't ask for anyone to escort us, thinking we might look less suspicious by ourselves. Of course that was silly..a middled aged lady and an 80 year old lady in itself would look suspicious!!!
v
We went back to the coffee shop where Gretchen had last been seen and ACTUALLY ORDERED COFFEE. We  told people we were a family seeing the Netherlands together, when the granddaughter decided to go for a walk by herself and got lost. We passed around Gretchen's picture.
                                                . fac simile

Finally a young employee in a wheelchair said, "Yes, I did see her. She was trying pot for the first time...she was here quite awhile then got a headache and the munchies, wanted to eat. Her personality became different, hostile.  Hester, who works here, took her to her place where she could eat, then lie down and sleep it off.  Your granddaughter  is so pretty and has such a nice laugh." 
 fac simile

He spoke good English. "Hester might be on duty again around two o'clock. "

Finally we were getting somewhere!!! But where? Was this girl to be trusted.  So again we left the phone number and name of hotel.

Then we walked for awhile viewing the district in the daytime, looking for any sign of Gretchen, whom I had never met but come to love.

  

Although a few girls continued to scratch on the windows for customers, for the most part the red district was quiet during the morning.   

We were amazed to learn that the Rossebuurt neighborhood is in fact one of the oldest and most beautiful parts of the city with long winding narrow, cobbled streets and utterly charming l4th century architecture.

                           
                           
      

 .

We went back to the original coffee shop to get a light meal. 

Some people recognized us and were friendly.
A few people spoke English, and we learned a lot about the 200 coffee shops in Amsterdam. For one thing they cannot serve alcohol, if they sell pot...they have to choose one or the other. Also, they can't sell to someone under eighteen. 

  We decided to eat something, wait for Hester and rest...we actually did not see anyone smoking dope....maybe having an old lady present is stifling...haha.

We ate this: not sure exactly what it was...maybe fish filet with lots of stuff on it. It was good!!


At two o'clock an attractive oriental looking girl arrived for work.   fac simile
HESTER! THE ONE!!!!

We introduced ourselves and asked if Gretchen was still at her place. She tried to look confused and stuttered that she didn't know what we meant. We showed her the picture and told her a CIA agent was at our disposal if she did not cooperate with us.

 Both Hilda and I began to cry from disappointment. The girl seemed to be moved...but nevertheless, ran out the back door.

Again we left the phone number and name of our Hotel with all the employees.  We asked for Hester's address but nobody seemed to know or admit they knew it. We were too tired to find her apartment or room anyway...but that would be next.

When I know more, I'll tell you more.
love. annie

so far...no tulips ...no wooden shoes 
...no Gretchen.
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