The Walker

Black, homeless and quietly he walked. Let us call him Harold.

He walked all day and I wondered how that could be possible. But the truth is, he did! He was in supreme physical condition; tall, slim and shirtless with a flat stomach. He walked at a slow and even pace. People stopped their cars to offer him money which he politely took from the passing driver, then he quickly turned and walked on, almost as if he had to get back to his job. He particularly liked walking on the island that I lived where there were bridges and waterways. Sometimes I would see him on the sidewalk of a busy highway. It has been years now that I have followed Harold, intrigued by this homeless man. The Florida heat does not seem to bother him; perhaps he was brought up on one of the tropical islands and enjoys the warmth. He is in better shape than most young men and a stand out amongst homeless men. He might be handsome if he was cleansed and dressed appropriately. He might be anybody's son, husband or lover. Could he be my Pygmalion? What does your new boyfriend do? “Well, he walks.” From experience I know there is nothing more wonderful than walking, letting thoughts come and go while the body becomes invigorated. When I was in my late forties, my boyfriend at the time invited me out for a walk. I kind of laughed, thinking it was a strange kind of date. But Paul, on this wonderfully romantic date held me close as we walked embraced through the small and interesting streets of Key West, Florida. There were many walks to follow all with wonderful memories. Paul gave me a life time gift of walking for pleasure and exercise. I remember telling my girlfriend and she laughed at me. “walking, he took you walking, so what is that,” She did not understand that it was bigger than any gift he could have given to me.

Where did Harold go at night? Where did he sleep? Had he found a special place for himself? Had he made friends with neighbors who invited him to sleep on their property? Did he have any other possessions other than the pants and shoes he wore or the shirt tied around his waist? What was his real name? Did he ever go to school? Did he have a high IQ? Where was he from? This lonely walker with a stench, and I knew he had one, as I was one of the people who gave him money, fascinates me. I need to approach him. I need to find out who he is. I need to find out what has compelled him to live a life of walking. I need to know him and write about him. I need the world to meet him so that we can know his story.

Subject: News from the Hamptons carol gershman
The Jewish Lady, The Black Man and the Road Trip
Issue No. 7 August 09
Dear carol,


A book takes one down un- known paths. Here I am with the Rabbi's from South Hampton Chabad Synagogue about to give a book presentation about living agelessly, living passionately based on my memoir, "The Jewish Lady,The black Man and the Road Trip."
Polo matches in the Hamptons

Always something a little different going on in the Hamptons. First a charity soft ball game for the stars on a lovely afternoon in East Hampton. Next came the Polo Matches; one huge party scene under a tent packed with people drinking and partying. I wonder if anyone so much as looked out at the polo players? Oops, there's two guy taking it in! The crowd arrived in Rolls Royce's, gorgeous convertibles, (me too) and dressed to the nines.
I ran into an old boyfriend from 31 years ago. Wow! have I been single that long?

Lunch at Roger and Daria's Montauk Beach House

My son Roger has the most divine home on the sea; three sides face the Atlantic. We had a wonderful lunch with sizzled salmon from the grill, corn and salad. It was one of those glorious beach days and nobody wanted to leave till late day. Life goes in circles!
Here is what I mean. Roger and Daria are taking the kids to Ca. back to school and the house will be empty for three days. So... I am movin in with a bunch of friends. Remember how we couldn't wait to get rid of the parents so we can party... Now I can't wait till my kids leave their house to me..

FROM MY MEMOIR, PAGE 145
My son Roger chose to live in the farthest point in the Hampton's, Montauk. I had worried how my kids would feel with their mom arriving with a black man with dreadlocks even though I had told them beforehand. But as cool as Xavier is, my kids are brought up to be sophisticated and even cooler. When Xavier got out of the car with his long dreadlocks blowing in the wind, Roger looked and me and said, "Cool dude mom, as he hugged me hello."
Article Headline

Now at the East Hampton Library standing with Anne Jones about to give a presentation. Interestingly enough, the librarys in the Hamptons have huge support and clout. It is the Hamptons mecca for culture with celebrity events going on all summer.
I have met so many celebs this summer. Julie Andrews still lovely to look at, Barbara Walters, never knew she was so tiny, Candice Bushnell, you know Sex and the City, author, then there was Alec Baldwin and numerous other authors and artists.
I know it is trouble but pleeeezze forward this on and..........DO TELL YOUR FRIENDS TO BUY A COPY OF MY SIZZLE...............GIVE IT AS A GIFT; A SIGNED COPY DIRECTLY FROM ME........PLACE ORDER AT
CAROLSUE@ATLANTICBB.NET

Girl friends.. are they not the best?

The minute I heard that my son and his family were going to leave their beach house in Montauk, N. Y. for 3 days, I immediately jumped on the band wagon and asked to take it over. I had a plan. I wanted to invite my girlfriends to come and hang out with me. Why? Because they are great ladies and the added bonus is that they all love to play Mah Jongg. Just like me! My family said sure, take it over! On a moments notice Sarah dropped everything and flew all the way from Colorado, would you believe,? Lynnia threw away her return plane ticket changing the return date. My sister Judy could not wait to pick the girls up in NYC in her Party Artistry Van.

We were excited to see one another as Judy pulled up to Roger's beach house surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean on all three sides. They went wild about the house; who would not? It is on two glorious levels all facing the sea. Each of us had our own rooms but Lynnia and Sarah preferred giggling and talking all night so decided to share the master suite. I prepared an advanced Thanksgiving dinner, roasting a turkey, yum, sweet potatoes, string beans and relish. I bought the most awesome chocolate cookies, each one the size of a huge piece of cake for dessert. No sooner did we finish dinner, we were at the table playing Mah Jongg.

The next morning Lynnia who dresses to the nines preferred staying in her pj's relaxing, and in her own words said, "This is the most relaxed I have been in 10 years."

Sarah, beautiful woke up early to fix her self up dressed to perfection in her work out clothes, ready for a walk. Sister Judy always adorable was just herself.. Me? who cared? no makeup, hair strangling and dressed in Capri tights and a tee, non disrupt. Later the girls yelled; "Put on makeup you look ten years younger when you put some makeup on." Oh well, who really cares girls? I am still an eye stopper when I get dressed up. No?

The house has a patio with lounges and a built in fire pit; there is an enormous grass area with lounge furniture and umbrellas with at least 80 step leading down to the beautiful beach. But us ladies liked staying indoors, you know perfect air temperature, no sun on our precious protected faces, no chill up our spine, and heaven forbid any form of wind.

We hung out on the coach with the mah jongg table at arms length, set up to play at any given moment. It is a fascinating game as you can think of nothing else while you play. We gambled away at what we consider high enough stakes. We all love to win and cheer ourselves when we do; calling out the amount owed, with our hands out, making sure we are paid on the spot. Next to us we keep little dishes of our winnings and loosings.

We took breaks piling onto the huge couch placed in the middle of the room telling each other life stories. Lynnia talked about the beautiful angels who came to her rescue many times in her life; one climbing Ares rock in Australia, another time on the streets of Singapore. It made for good listening and many questions. Judy talked about her angel who was not an angel, her husband who passed on, and for sure Ira may he rest in peace, always made a good story...Sarah a great listener, asked lots of questions to keep it going and I had already spilled the beans in my memoir, so just took it all in for a change.

In between we ate, me sneaking the cookies at any given chance. At night we transformed ourselves into beauties and went out for dinner. Years ago we would hit the club or music scene. Now we piled into the van, Judy chauffeuring us round town, me shouting out turn here and turn there. We adored our water side table at Gosmans landmark restaurant, eating lobster and having fun and ice reams cones at John's famous for dessert. No sleep until we played rounds of mah jongg into the night. The days went quickly; we bonded and enjoyed each other. On the last morning we waited for the king of the house, Roger, to return. I wanted to show him off to my friends as he is quite cute. In he came looking adorable having flown in on the red eye and immediately went to hang up the drape I had knocked to the floor.

We said our farewells after breakfast; Both Judy and I were caught in bumper to bumper traffic. Judy dropped Lynnia off at the airport, I dropped Sarah off at the Jitney to the airport and I went home to sleep.

We love our girlfriends!

My Mustang and Me

I compare myself to my car. My hot yellow mustang convertible. Sure she is getting older, 5 years now, but she sure does not look or act old.

Me too. I am getting older, 73 now, but I sure don't look or act old.

We may be getting older, but that does not mean we are old!

We enjoy life especially when we are in our element, on the road. She does better than me, never tiring, not even needing oil and water. How could she last 5000 miles without a drink? I must admit I need lots of water and lots of oil especially on my skin and hair and a good shot of cod liver oil never hurt anyone.

My mustangs hot yellow color inspires me to wear a fun hat and look perky; I sure don't want it to have one up on me. Yes, there is a rivalry between us; I would rather hear, hey you look hot, rather than what a hot looking car you have.... Now shut up and drive Mustang, you know sometimes I need the attention.

I love when the top is down and the weather is good. When it is brisk I often ride with the top down and the heat on.
I cannot pull my top down as far as my mustangs for obvious reasons but when I am in the drivers seat, the heat is always on in my life.

The mustang does not care how packed it gets. Right now it is bursting at the seams cause we are on the road. There is not a inch left in the trunk and the back seats are filled as well as the floor. There are no complaints. it still bobs along.
Now take me, when I get packed, what happens? I burst from all ends.

So the tires need rotating, and it gets scratches and scrapes but it always looks pretty.
When I am not being rotated and get scratches and scrapes I feel and look like hell.

Best of all it listens to what ever I have to say and goes exactly where I want it to go. What a partner!

Well we could go on and on and that is exactly what we are going to do. The older we get the better we will get.
Me and my hot yellow mustang.

Carol Sue Gershman

The end of summer "09

So how was yours?

I wonder if anyone who tunes into my blogs writes or wishes they could write or wants to write a book?

I can only say DO IT..

There are no words to describe how a book can change your life.
It opens up avenues because so much goes into the writing and even more than writing the after writing process. The layout, fonts, publishing if you do it yourself and then, the 'oh my god promoting'. None of this is easy but I can assure you rewarding.

Take myself, what dd I know about writing? Nothing! Outside of my 2 semester Monday evenings at Dade
County schools, I never studied writing in high school; was there such a course? or college.
Somehow within nine months I wrote 325 pages. I had to go through editing and re-editing and re- editing and then re- editing but I wrote a good book and told a good story.

Then I had to talk about it, right? What did I know about standing up in front of any audience? Nothing. I was scared to death. and boring. I bored myself and the audience. Why? Because I was focused on me and not them. I was worried about what they were thinking of me and I was over the top insecure. So I went to Toast masters. What did I know about Toastmasters? Nothing, I can assure you. Well thanks to my daughter Leslie who is a member, I enrolled and learned what a brilliant organization it is. In a short time I learned to speak in front of an audience marveling at the members who could do it so well. And now, give me an audience and I will engage them..Who would believe?

Then I had to sell books. what did I know about selling books? Nothing, I can assure you. So I hit the road, me at seventy three putting forty five hundred miles on my Mustang, sleeping in motels, driving, driving, and promoting and inspiring on a one to one basis at Barnes and Noble, Borders, independents all up the east coast.

There is so much more to come. My book is my friend and right now my purpose in life. After almost one year of promoting I know I am just at the beginning.
Do see my video by clicking link above top.
If you need inspiration or would like to ask a question, please comment.

Carol Sue Gershman