A Conversaton with Elizabeth
1998
Nostalgia

From:          Elizabeth
To:            Larry.m.mixson@bvs.com
Date:          3/4/98 3:11pm
Subject:       Nostalgia
 
That episode of Millenium has an intriguing similarity to the Into the Wild book. Some deeper issues of the book included that the boy had discovered late in his life that his father was a "bigamist." That sounds harsh, but he divorced, I believe his first wife, and remarried, but then continued on with his former wife and actually had a child by her. The father was some type of very brilliant computer or data expert with an international reputation. His plans were for his son to go to law school but after graduating the son "took off" and hardly came back at all. In trying to survive in Alaska, Krakhaur claimed that he unknowingly started eating some seeds of a wild potato plant which proved poisonous, although otherwise he was shrewd about eating wild plants. Apparently there was not even much documentation that these particular seeds were toxic. They weakened him and then he could not forage for other food or hunt. But, that's intriguing about Millenium. What was so intriguing about the book as well were all the "marginal" communities and semi-permanent camps of transients all across the United States.
 
While it may be a sensitive subject, your father has done well, being 18 years post bypass. Did he modify his diet and start exercising, etc.? Often without changes in lifestyle, a person ends up five years down the road requiring another bypass.
 
The public library downtown was next door to a "magnet" school which is an accelerated education program. All the kids came to the library after school. One day they had 60's day and all the kids dressed up as "hippies." It was so bizarre. Some of them had it just right. Others were too extreme. Do you remember your painted jeans? Don't tell me you still have them.
 
Ironically, I was listening to "early" music as well and thinking of you. I was listening to the Byrds. I really don't know what years there music was, but I remember all the words to the songs. I recall loving Dylan's music. I have plans to get his latest album-I guess I should learn to write CD--which has been so successful for him.
 
Last night I listened to the New York Philharmonic while I briefed cases. That was an experiment. I read a novel about a lawyer who always went to the law library and did research wearing headphones and listening to her favorite music as she worked. I thought I'd give it a try. Usually I make an intense point of concentrating, but that may not really be required, except perhaps for finals.
 
As I told you my father died recently. My brother sent me several liquor case size boxes of stuff which was either his or my grandmothers, as he lived with his mother after divorcing my mother. I have opened a few of the boxes, but I have not opened them all. I can only deal with a little at a time.
 
You're right about Dali being in St. Pete. Haslams (sp) may be there as well. I just collapse the whole area in my mind. I don't like St. Pete, but I like Clearwater so generically I label everything as being there.
 
I give a lot of thought to retirement. I'd like to identify a geographic place in which I would be comfortable, but financially I don't know how I can retire, hence the law degree, but that too has complications. Moving to another state requires passing the bar there. The FL bar is horrendous. The AL bar isn't a picnic. Many many people take it twice to pass. I didn't tell you that when I was accepted to law school I had also applied and been accepted to the Information Sciences Ph.D. program in Tallahassee. They offered me a teaching fellowship for their distance learning program. I really toyed with the idea. Tallahassee has become a nice place to live in Florida. A lot of 60's people settled there.
 
Well I am mega bored. Finally finished all my work. One small project and that's it.
 
I don't know what kind of relationship we had back then. I know you were a good cook (just kidding but I still remember these turkey legs you cooked which were out of sight). I know you liked tea and I liked coffee, an irreconcilable difference I'm sure. At times looking back, I can't recall what was motivating me, or driving me. I know the parental issues were a hidden engine and much of that didn't get worked out for years. Overridingly I remember so distinctly being unable to find a career direction for myself. I at times envied you so much that you had discovered one and that it was also lucrative. Much of my time after you left in 1976 I spent taking all kinds of tests at the University and looking at tons of career options. I found it very frustrating. Sometimes when I'm down I think, if you would have just taught school since that time, you would be retiring now.
 
Maybe I'm destined to write the great novel. Tomorrow.

Re: Nostalgia