Sunday morning memories

Part of any new relationship is getting to know the person. Albeit Rick and I met 34 years ago. In the beginning we were professional friends that did not lend itself to more revealing stories. Recently we were discussing my writing and how it came about which brought up a waterfall of memories.

I wanted to write ever since I can remember, maybe because I loved being read to and wanted to create my own so I had stories with me always not just when my mother and grandmother had time to read to me.

I tried scribbling my stories on paper at four but those scribbles could not be reread. Then I started writing orally describing wherever I was and adding, “he said,” or “she laughed” after the grown-ups in my life spoke. It came to an abrupt end when my grandmother and I were walking to the mailbox and I said out loud, “The little girl said laughingly holding the fat cook’s hand.” Although my grandmother encouraged creativity and was proud of her cooking ability she didn’t appreciate the word “fat” and my verbal utterances stayed inside my head at the request of adults around me.

Later, as I told Rick, I discovered the Beverly Gray series. No Nancy Drew for me. Beverly was a revelation. She was everything I wanted to be and how I wanted to live.

Wikipedia describes the books as “The Beverly Gray Mystery Stories, published between 1934 and 1955, were written by Clair Blank, pen name of Clarissa Mabel Blank Moyer. The series began as a series of school stories, and followed Beverly's progress through college, her various romances, and a career as a reporter before becoming strictly a mystery series. Beverly is portrayed as an extraordinarily determined individual: There was a driving ambition in her heart that would not let her idle her life away.”

And like my grandmother who will always be a role model in values, Beverly became my model in life. 

This morning, I did a Dogpile.com search (I prefer it to google) and I found a website describing both the writer and the books. www.series-books.com/beverlygray/beverlygray.html)

The website has Clair's photo and it is a pleasure to see the face of the woman who had so much influence on me. More than once when I’m in England or writing a news article or having an adventure, I’ve thought—I’m like Beverly.

For the first time I learned about the writer herself. Her real name was Clarissa Mabel Blank Moyer. She was born Aug. 5, 1915 and published her first book at age 18.

If Beverly travelled the world, Clarissa, didn’t. She died of cancer August 15, 1965.

Beverly was determined and could do anything she wanted. In that way, she was like my own mother who was anything but traditional having had several careers at times when women didn’t do those things.

I must remember to thank Rick for asking the question that led to a Sunday morning of pleasure bringing out good memories. Aren’t memories the brick foundation of our lives? And isn’t today the foundation for tomorrow memories?

Like Beverly I don’t want to idle my life away…today, tomorrow or next week. I only wish I could meet Clair to thank her.