Beneath the Wraps

         The refrigerator in Sunny and Patrick’s house is buried in photographs and wonderful thoughts.  Family is very important to them and they are on display at all times.           Children’s art work decorates the walls above the dining room table and there are portraits upon the piano.  The house is decorated nicely, and the feel is one of warmth and love.  It is inviting.  It says that their children are important and family matters.  It is welcoming and full of joy and positive self-esteem.           Grandma also keeps photographs and art work.  Her refrigerator is covered with magnets that hold up treasured memories.  There are pictures in every room showing off her grandkids, her children, their spouses, etc.  It says that her posterity is important and it is good for our self-esteem.   ...

          This post is dedicated to my sister, Kayla and our sister-in-law, Sunny.           Kayla has always been the strong silent type – both physically and spiritually.   She has always had tremendous faith.   She is a survivor.           When she was younger she could detect the slightest movement of a wrapper being pulled away from a food item (usually something unhealthy like ding dongs or cupcakes or m&ms) She wouldn’t even be in the house, but in the neighborhood.   Unwrap that piece of candy, and she would appear through the door.   But it had to be real.   We could never get her to come simply by crinkling cellophane or foil           She would say to my mom, “Can I have a piece of gum?” (or whatever)        ...

            Roland has six children – nine if you count the three that were never born – which he often does.   They’ve all been given names – though I doubt we’ll be raising the unborn in the hereafter.           Biff is the oldest.   He has brown eyes and looks just like his paternal grandfather.   Spitting image – only taller – which is saying a lot as Biff’s biggest hang-up about life seems to have been with his small size.   He really is not that tall compared to your average guy – but he is taller than those on both Roland’s side and his mom’s side.           Tony seems to get his looks from his mom’s side – though I haven’t really seen it.   The receding hairline is definitely from her side.   Though Tony towers over his mom’s small sized family (small individuals – the family itself is actually quite large in number...

          I used to think that a sore throat was the absolute worse.   I would rather have a headache, a backache, nausea, or sinus infection rather than a sore throat.   Or so I thought. A sore throat never made me disoriented. Have you ever seen the movie Innerspace?   As the story unfolds, we learn that Dennis Quade’s character has agreed to being shrunk and injected into the body of a rabbit.   But due to circumstances beyond his control, he is inserted into Martin Short’s body by mistake.           In order for him to see what Martin Short is seeing, DQ lands his vessel onto the optical nerve and then clamps on the seeing device tool.   On his initial land, MS experiences irritation.   Something is bugging him just behind the eye.   But then comes the clamp.   MS screams out in pain.           ...

For those readers who may not recognize any of the names in the title, let me introduce you to a very brief history.   The character of Dr. Jekyll was created before 1931.   He was a lab scientist who used himself as a guinea pig to test a potion which he had created.   I don’t recall what it is the potion was supposed to do, but as a result of his taking the potion, Dr. Jekyll would take on another – much darker – personality that was not the same as the one most people were familiar with. His alter ego became known as Mr. Hyde.   So even though Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde were theoretically the same person – sharing the same physical identity (or body I guess) the personalities were very different.   Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is science fiction. Shirley Ardel Mason (1923 – 1998) was an actual person.   She’d been both physically and mentally abused by her mother.   Shirley had gone to psychiatrist Dr. Cornelia Wilbur in the 1950’s as there w...

                I remember watching an episode of “The Twilight Zone” in which a “turning of age” theme was introduced.  Girls were expected to trade in their bodies for a much more exciting model.  There was even a catalog of models to choose from.                     The main character of this episode had her birthday coming up – and it was expected of her that she would choose from at least two different models.  The girl was quite plain – perhaps even homely looking.  But she had a mind – which she really wanted to keep.           It seems like those who had changed their bodies had become so obsessed with the way they looked that they did not or would not think about anything else.  It wasn’t her.  She wanted to remain an individual and no...

                 When I got married for the first (and only) time, I not only got a husband,   I had a ready-made family. Our boys were 11, 12 and 14 (we were married six weeks prior to the 12 year old turning 13)           I met the youngest one first.   My mom and I had gone over to a quadplex unit to visit someone.   We had knocked at the door but there was no reply.   I don’t know if Randy called “Hi” to us from the tree before or after we knocked.   He smiled brightly but gave no information about himself nor inquired who we were.    As it turned out the sister we were searching for had moved out and Randy was actually living at that particular unit with his two brothers and dad.           Randy was ten going on eleven.   We had the same size hands at the time.   ...

I have two brothers.   Patrick is two years younger than I.   Corey is nine years younger.   Both brothers are quite knowledgeable in the gospel.   Both are quiet.   Both are very forgiving of others.   Both pocess qualities very much like our dad. Both attend Church meetings each week – but each is on a mission that’s entirely different from the other           The eldest of the two currently serves as second counselor in the bishopric. Patrick is diligent and responsible.   Keeps confidences.   He’s organized.   GREAT father! Coveted husband. A good guy whom people respect.   Did I mention quiet?           I am actually closer to Corey than I am to Patrick.   Corey is an actor.   When he appears on stage it isn’t known how quiet he is when he’s not performing.   Corey is very diligent and responsible.   He keeps confid...