The wider the generation
gap grows, the narrower it gets. Thanks largely to the Internet..
Aminah is my niece kind of. She lurks in the Web underbrush until
I log on (or her Aunt Susan, my daughter-in-law does), then springs
out in full Instant Message.
Aminah is eight years
old. This a recent IM exchange, typos and all:
Maymina92: I am waiting
like you said too.
Maymina92: sorry if
I am inturupting
DWestheime: And Sweet
Baboo, I am MAD at you. Every time you IM it cuts me off from
what I am doing. I am through e-mailing now.
Maymina92: Why are
you mad at me!!
DWestheime: AND NO
DARK BACGROUNDS OR I WILL GO OFF LINE.
Maymina92: ok
DWestheime: I just
told you why I was mad.
Maymina92: is the backround
better?
DWestheime: You kept
interrupting me. Didn't you know little children should be seen
and not smelled? That backround is much better.
Maymina92: I think
you mean childresn should be seen buet not heard
DWestheime: Oh. That's
right.
Maymina92: yeah
Maymina92: want meto
wait a few min?
DWestheime: I bet you
smell good. Like cats.
Maymina92: I mean me
to
DWestheime: No, I've
finished my e-mail.
Maymina92: I sure hope
I don't smell like cats
Maymina92: oh good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DWestheime: Cat's smeel
GOOD. They are known for it.
Maymina92: What have
you been doing?
Maymina92: What!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DWestheime: Trying
to answer my e-mail and this kd from up north kept interrupting.
Maymina92: is she smarter
then some old baboooo named David
DWestheime: And before
that I was working on income tax papers.
Maymina92: ha what
a mad sweetie babboo
Maymina92: I meean
bad
DWestheime: Oh, she
is much smarter. When he was her age he couldn't type.
Maymina92: relly what
a dum boy Maymina92: ( I am joking)
DWestheime: I may be
dumb, but I can spell it right.
Maymina92: O shush
up
Maymina92: (just joking)
DWestheime: That's
what Cody always says. "Just joking"
Maymina92: whose Cody?
DWestheime: Your cousin.
Our grandson.
Maymina92: Oh Cody
DWestheime: Say "Who's,"
not "Whose"
Maymina92: oh shush
up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DWestheime: Never.
Maymina92: "just joking"
Maymina92: Oh you better
DWestheime: What will
you do?
Maymina92: you won't
get a hug next time I see you!
DWestheime: Yeah? I
will hug you til your nose bleeds.
Maymina92: I won't
let you get near you though
Maymina92: near me
DWestheime: You wouldn't
say that if my cane didn't slow me down.
Maymina92: oh I would
go up and down the stairs wich will take a half hour to get down
and up and it will take two seconds
Maymina92: hold I want
to do somthing
DWestheime: You are
SO mean.
DWestheime: I gotta
go.
David Westheimer lives
with his wife of 55 years, Dody, in the same Los Angeles apartment
they moved into from Houston, Texas 39 years ago. Their son, Fred,
is a Senior Vice-President at the William Morris Agency and his
younger brother, Eric, is a veterinarian. Succeeding generations
include five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. As a journalist,
David worked for Oveta Culp Hobby. At 83, David Westheimer continues
to write, and not just for Senior Women. His latest effort, "The
Great Wounded Bird", his recollections of World War II, winner
of the Texas Review 1999 poetry prize, was published this year
by Texas Review Press and may be ordered from Amazon Books, where
it is 1,458,159th on their sales list, from Barnes & Noble and
Borders Books. He is a novelist and a retired Air Force Officer.
He can be reached for a repertoire of feigned curmudgeonly remarks
at: DWestheime@aol.com.
