Edith Ann | 08/22/2008 1:00 pm

Life in the Little Lane: Edith Ann on a Wandering Mind

Has this ever happened to you?

You go over to the window to sharpen your pencil and something you see out the window grabs your mind and your entire pencil gets eaten up by the sharpener.

Then your teacher accuses you of not paying attention and, if you say, “How come I heard you say I wasn’t paying attention if I wasn’t paying attention?” She tells you “Don’t talk back to me,” instead of seeing that you had a good point … except on my pencil.

My Mom complains, too, when my mind wanders off, but I don’t know what to do about it. My mind has a mind of its own. It just goes away and does its own thing, and I have no say about it. I think sometimes it just needs a break from being cooped up in my busy brain.

Anyway, I guess I’m lucky that my mind has its own GPS system, because somehow it always finds its way back to me.

Read more about: Edith Ann, Humor, Illustrations, Life in the Little Lane

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Another poem to save. Jane

By Edith Ann on 08/24/2008 2:35 pm

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Dear Little Friend: Once I lost my mind. It is a long story but I will tell it anyway. At school there is a boy named Bruce––I call him Brucie–––and he is a poor boy and I know that cuz he tells me that his daddy is out of work and his mommy doesn’t feel well and falls down a lot. One day Brucie had a zipper problem and his little willy was peeking out and Mrs. Pampelmuse had to take him out of class and find some safety pins. After that some mean boys made fun of him during recess and called him “pecker pants” and that made me mad cuz Brucie and I were buddies so I punched the boy that was saying it the loudest and he got a bloody nose and then I had to go to the office where Mr. Frostschutz called my mommy who came and got me and when we got into the car she said on top of her voice, “Have you LOST your mind?” And later when Daddy came home he said. “What were you THINKING?” Well, I thought, if I have lost my mind then I wouldn’t be able to think at all, but I was still thinking so maybe I didn’t lose the whole mind but just a part of it. So the next day when I went back to school I went to the LOST and FOUND to see if I could find what I had lost. I looked and looked. I found that old barrette Mugsy Jr. had been yummering about losing, I found the wool hat Frankie lost last winter and I found Josie’s special paintbrush, but I couldn’t find my mind. I felt very sad but I tried not to cry cuz it was time for class which was English and Miss Traum, my English teacher was passing out the papers we wrote about what we liked about school and I got an A* with a gold star and on the bottom of the paper were these words: “I love the way your mind works.” Well, I thought, maybe a person just loses it for a little while and then it comes back again all whole and somebody can love you for it all over again. Whew! Thank you for listening, that’s a load off my mind!

By phyllis Doyle Pepe on 08/23/2008 8:38 am

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phyllis, that’s a great story. sometimes my mind goes in circles like a dog chasing his tail and then i have to go to the psych ward. but my medications and not having to deal with the stress of a job help a lot. usually my mind just jumps around like a gymnast on the floor mat.

By mary lou s on 08/23/2008 1:52 pm

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This story should be published, Phyllis. Oh,I for got, it just has been…on Wow. Isn’t Wow wonderful? Like your story and Serena’ s poems and Joan and Maurine’s thoughts and on and on and on.Jane

By Edith Ann on 08/23/2008 1:55 pm

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Jane . . . Finally, a chance to say thanks - thanks from all the ever-present and fantastic writers — and thinkers!! — on WOW. For the nice words just now, but for being one of the ladies opening up a window wide for smart women to write, connect, to expand our minds. . . and find that there are friends that we never could dream we would have, all found on this site. You have to notice that we seem to light up when we write, we bounce off each other, care for the other when travails come (could anything be more wonderful than that??), and just plain connect. This “experience” that all of us are having together is one I would never have dreamed of — a reawakening of the mind and the spirit and sometimes, sometimes the soul itself. Stirring within me now are the words for a major article - one that hasn’t been written as far as I know - of the enhancement of life actually that WOW has brought us. As they say — I never would have dreamed in a million years . . but I wouldn’t have missed it for the world. Jane, I often call you “the mystery woman” we don’t hear from often — and yet I know you can probably write better than all of us put together . . . so I am hoping we are going to hear from you in a big way soon. Pleez, for cripes sake, as Edith Ann would say. And what IS with me . . . as I am getting so into Edith Ann character that it is carrying over into my personal life, making dinner time so full of laughs we can hardly eat — as I can take that little girl in directions so hilarious and far out that we are practically rolling in the aisles — oh pardon me, I mean rolling on the carpeting!! Jane - and Lily, of course - again we thank you.

By joan larsen on 08/24/2008 2:25 pm

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Thank you, thank you a million times. Your enthusiasm and talent mean so much to us. I wish you’d relate some of your dinner time fun, if it can be put into words If anyone could,YOU could. Jane

By Edith Ann on 08/24/2008 5:20 pm

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Hi wonderful Jane again . . . I would love to write more - as it is easy and so fun to have this almost running out of me with no seeming effort - but wish there were another way as all my friends on site will say I am monopolizing — as I frankly, can really go to town on this. If you or Lily have read any of my other things - probably not - so I will repeat: My godchild - and has been crowned by kennedy and others to be future president in 6 or 12 years is US SEnator Amy Klobuchar. And she is going to speak not only Monday night, but Tuesday night at the Democratic convention - the only woman speaking twice (as she is being groomed I think.) She is told what to say here - a shame - as she is untainted and a real person and delight when she is let loose — like you and me but lovely and brilliant, which I cannot match — but am so proud and admire. And I am in political office also — so should I spout out here on Edith Ann or elsewhere when I have these late night moments of freedom???? I feel that I have my arms so outstretched to encompass so many pieces of the world you would not believe — thus the high enthusiasm as the world is so good to me. Have a book out now with Amy’s dad, one of others, that at Christmas was gifted by Amy to her friends in the Senate — and another on green housing (a switch from my little girl talk) later this Fall that is NOT going to be “over our heads” because then I couldn’t understand it myself cuz I am not that smart. And that is “the honest truth”!! But being Edith Ann sparks me in a totally different direction - and ya know, then I half lie on my chair, twirling my hair and wondering why my arms are not covered with hair like they used to be and trying not to believe that awful girl who said that comes from getting old. Getting old? Is she KIDDING? THAT is for old people and even without that icky hair I feel so young. So I just said “Big girls shouldn’t tell lies, ya know? And YOU are, and my mommy says I can’t play with a liar. . and that’s that. Period!!! Help — how and where? When I can squeeze in after I have my TV love-in with Amy!! joan

By joan larsen on 08/24/2008 9:00 pm

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Thanks phyllis, LOVED your story!

By kim speight on 08/23/2008 3:16 pm

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Me, too! Me, too! Phyllis…wunnerful! xo Mo

By Maurine H on 08/23/2008 11:54 pm

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Fillus, I love this and glad you let us know bout it. I had bout the same happen when I socked out somebuddy when they called Charles Gilpin Childs IV stupid. It was sompin bout a little gene pool. But, who can afford a big pool.

By Agyness O on 08/23/2008 5:57 pm

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PDP—I absolutely adore the kids who have the fortitude to protect other kids, who perhaps, don’t know they need protecting. I’m not crying.

By kermie b on 08/23/2008 8:58 pm

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Phyllis! LOL … this is GREAT!!! :)

By Serena . on 08/24/2008 12:33 pm

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Whoops! where are my manners! I hopes I haven’t lost them too. I forgot to sign my name and give you love and kisses cuz there is so much racket going on in my house now–-big talks about somebody named Joey bye den and my grandma saying he’s just going to open up a can of worms and my mommy saying she doesn’t know what she’s talking about and my daddy trying to sheesh them both. Anyway, Love and kisses, Phittis Doydal

By phyllis Doyle Pepe on 08/23/2008 12:07 pm

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“…something you see out the window grabs your mind…” Hey, Edith - consider yourself fortunate that you at least have a REASON for the wandering mind. I sometimes walk into rooms and forget why I’m there by the time I’ve entered…WITHOUT something outside the window distracting me. Whatever happens, if someone tries to put you on “medication” for your wandering mind, DON’T LET THEM! Because that’s when you find yourself getting distracted by nothing, like me. …now, what’d I get on this computer for?? Hmm. Oh no wait, I only came into this room to see if I left my drink in here. I think?

By Kryssi K on 08/23/2008 5:03 pm