Clareified

ODE TO KAROL

Last night I went to visit Karol in the hospital before her surgery this morning.

Ever the hostess, she was in high spirits as she offered food and beverage to the 20 or so visitors that stopped by just between 7 and 9. (There was a velvet rope outside the room with a bouncer and everything.)

I’ve known Karol a long time and last night I realized how implausible it was that she would be such a big part of my life 13 years after our inauspicious meeting.

(I have no recollection of this encounter, but she swears that we met on a school bus when I was in tenth grade and she was in ninth grade. Evidently, she introduced herself to me one day and asked if I had a walkman that she could listen to. I reportedly replied: “If I did, don’t you think I would be listening to it?” Like I said, I have no recollection of it, but frankly, it sounds like something I would do. )

Karol has taught me many things over the years and well, since it’s been a while since I’ve given her any fodder for her “Dawn really does like me” blackmail book, I figured I’d post some of my favorite Karolisms.

1) Talk to strangers. That’s how you make new friends.

2) There is a succint Russian phrase for every complicated English thought.
2a) I will never be able to correctly pronounce them.

3) Add vanilla to Coke and cheese to fries.
3a) Vanilla fries and cheese Coke are less successful combinations.

4) Always assume the best about people.
4a) If they prove you wrong, cut them off. (Hawking a loogie in their eye is also an option.)

5) Say ‘I love you’ even when you know you won’t hear it back.

6) Anybody can ‘get’ anybody else. No one is out of anyone else’s league.

7) If you have the money, spend it.
Be optimistic, but knock on wood and hold your breath while walking past cemeteries.

9) Remember everything.

10) Write it all down.

11) Elderly relatives aren’t the only ones who painfully squeeze cheeks.

12) Every place in the world has its special charm, except France.

13) Live and love generously.

14) Blog.

Speedy Recovery Karolnischka.

This entry was posted by Dawn Summers on Tuesday, March 9th, 2004 at 10:02 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.