A Typical Goofball Meg

On the advice post, I was just trying to make a point about irony. I have learned the hard way that it is important to remain open to things and be "teachable" -- within reason. It's a wonderful thing to have someone to trust (hopefully all of us have or will have many people to trust in our lives). What I have learned at the ripe (and not so ripe) age of 43 is that people have to earn my trust and, consequently, I need to earn theirs. There is a line in the Michael Mann film "Heat" delivered by Robert DeNiro's character that I am esp. fond of, "I say what I mean and I mean what I say." Certainly not a standard I can live up to all the time but I try. The folks I choose as mentors are peeps who do this.

Oh dear, that sounds kind of preachy. Sorry.

So I did a typical goofball Meg the other night. I met this woman who was new to Iowa City and asked her if she wanted to grab a cup of coffee. In the two short blocks to the Java House, I managed to trip on a curve and go crashing into the sidewalk. Please note this was on a Friday night before a football game so I had a hefty audience...YEH! I've now got a big fat bruise on my right hip and shoulder and a double doozy scab on my right knee -- not to mention a big 'ol hole in my favorite gray pants. Fortunately on the pants I can now wear black tights under them and do a Meg Redoes the Punk Years thing. The best part of this whole deal is that if my possible new friend had any delusions of me having my shit together or of my being the cool, together WASP chick -- I suspect they were immediately dispelled. God, I hope they were.

Hey, in case anyone has been wondering I am still considering the question of who should replace Frank Conroy as head of the Iowa Writer's Finishing School. To those who have written and suggested that I'd be the natural choice, I'm honored but I've made it clear to the necesssary parties that even I know I'm not up to snuff on this one. However, I did make inquires on that miracle spring water I wrote about some months ago and have a case or two to sell - did I wink or did I laugh?