Thursday, May 17, 2012

Doing laps


DR. HELT CAUGHT DOZING WITH CHICK ON LAP
FEW FRIENDS COMPARE WITH FEATHERED FRIEND
The Rev. Dr. started with three chickens over on Hogsback Road.
When they moved to Oconobank something dispatched two of them
but whatever it was isn't being given the third hen.
Many protective, barricading steps have been taken with the survivor.
A careful watch is on.

This surviving and good-laying chick's name is Hulda, after theologian Reinhold Niebuhr's sister.
Any sister of Reinhold's is a friend of John's, a Niebuhr devotee.


The close circle at the former residence on Hogsback, before fox or weasel-time.
We maintain it wasn't a raccoon.


Hulda recently assisted in turning over the garden.  Those not in the know might say she was looking for grub(s).


........................

NOY SEES ODD FELLOWS

The Rev. Leroy Napieralski, non-official cleric but longtime friend sans portfolio, 
brought his new friend 
Noy to meet us last evening.  Noy has been in the US for four years
and hails from her homeland of Laos.

Noy speaks some English and is learning more each day.
The Rev served during the Vietnam war, but he did his service in Alaska.
Still, he is interested in things Asian and the world in general.




Dee and I were watching a movie when the doorbell rang.
It was the Rev and Noy calling from the lobby.  (We'd said, "Bring her over anytime.")


Quiet Noy on entering fell into a mode of exclamatory WOW!s.
A seamstress and beautician, formerly a trained nurse in Laos,
she made appreciative high notes over our various artworks, one by one, 
throughout a tour by Dee of the Odd fellows dwelling. In the upper loft office 
she gleefully held our giant gourds over the ledge for "Leloy" to see.


I like the sound of "Noy" and "Leloy." 


The clock struck 9 PM and Noy
said it was time to get home to her two teenage children.  
She is  divorced  and a single mom.
Leloy has met these children now and likes them
and they like him.
  
The Rev took Noy to a recent Waukesha Old Car Club 
sock hop.
Who's that dish with Leroy? many smilingly muttered
behind cupped hands.


~


On departing, Noy observed our Buddha on the front chest by the door.




Noy fell silent, descended to her knees
 and palmed her hands in front of her.
She reached for her purse and removed two coins
and dropped them through a hole in the plastic figure's lap
caused from freezing rain when the effigy was an outdoor
yard ornament a few years ago.




This morning I took the incense burner off the Buddha's lap
to capture the shiny coins inside with my flash camera.






This offering will remain in place.


I went to put the Buddha back on the chest
and in the replacing of the sand-filled incense bowl  
on the Buddha's lap, it escaped my hands
 and sand fell to the floor.




Lacking a dustpan (lost in our move)
I took a cookie sheet and whisked the sand up with ease.


I thought about my position
 on the floor, similar to Noy's.




We're sure we will see them again soon.
Noy asked, "You like egg roll? I cook!"




Noy of Laos attends the Waukesha Buddhist Temple
on Lawnsdale Rd, west of Guthrie Rd. south of 
the city.  Have seen it.  Beautiful.