a message from Stephen Brackin
Come to think of it, this mailing list gives me a chance to correct a Hanukkah-related spiritual mistake I made that I've long regretted:
Several years ago, a woman I didn't know, whose name I've forgotten, accidentally invited me to a latke party. She put the invitation in my mailbox intending it for a friend of hers whose address she had confused with mine. When I called to say that the invitation was probably a mistake, but that I'd love to come, she generously invited me, too. I don't remember much about the party - I don't remember whether I went alone or with my daughter, for example - but I remember that there were lots of latke's, they were good, and it was fun. I believe the house was on the west side of Utica Street, near the corner of Utica and East Yates.
Anyway, a few weeks after the party, I was eating in the Capital Corner restaurant, and the woman tried to catch my eye as she was leaving. I was in a glum mood at the time, though, thinking about things that made me angry, and I didn't feel like having company. I didn't acknowledge having seen her, assuming that I'd see her again when I was in a better mood. I never did, though, so I missed a chance to thank her again and to take a step toward becoming a friendly acquaintance of hers. Now I only have vague memories of what she looked like.
So if you're reading this and you recognize yourself as the woman I'm talking about, or if you think you know who she is, will you please send me e-mail? There's someone out there whom I'd like to thank again and return a nice little favor to, say by having her and a friend of hers share latkes with my daughter and me.
—Stephen Brackin
Contact: stephen.brackin AT verizon.net
The image of Stephen Brackin is copyrighted by Stephen Brackin. The image of the latke is a derivative from a photo by Jonathunder, licensed under a CC 3.0 license, from the WikiMedia Commons.