Cobweb Morning - Discussion Thread

One of the most charming things about Cobweb Morning is the mistaken idea that Alex has about Taro's financial standing. She is very thoughtful of his pocketbook. At one point, even though she is really, really hungry, she orders an omelette because it's cheap. Taro follows her lead. Paperweight Penny the Sociopath orders the most expensive item on the menu. Back in my dating years (centuries ago) I was the "cheap date". I seldom dated boys that had deep pockets...and I was thoughtful enough to never order above the mid-range price menu items. That was in high school. In college the boys tended to have even shallower pockets...if that was possible. Cheap concerts, plays (or the even cheaper $1 movies) at the college with perhaps ice cream from the Creamery afterwards. [Betty Keira]Almost my whole courtship with Mijnheer van Voorhees was conducted at the BYU Creamery. We could walk the mile and a half there, eat cheap ice cream for another half hour and stroll the mile and a half back to my apartment (and annoying roommates). We probably went at least twice a week just to be alone-ish. When dating a college student it is best not to get uppish if one wants to scout the territory with a VTM--view to marriage. Good times, good times.

I'm puzzled that no one comes forward with knowledge of the Perfidious Penny. Sure, she disappeared from a different town, but beautiful, young, felonious amnesiacs must have been a dime a dozen if no one spotted her on the telly or newspaper.

Taro has a hidden talent that no other Neels hero admits to. He whistles. Mijnheer van Voorhees cannot whistle. Not only does he whistle, he can whistle a variety of bird calls - and when he whistles, the birds come. When I was in 7th grade I had an unsuspected whistling talent. I could whistle through the gap in my front teeth without moving my mouth. The whistle was not very loud, but it was high pitched. I used to do it in my English Class while we were taking tests. I can still visualize Mrs. Hock-tooie (not her real name) walking up and down the aisles trying to find out where the sound was coming from. Alas, braces scotched that talent. I suspect fancy whistling is fast becoming a lost art.

When Alexandra's mum gets the measles, it's time to rush off to the airport! After a brief kiss at "the barrier" (which sounds like the reef off Australia...), Alex walk off across the tarmac and climbs the steps to the plane. I, for one, do not miss the days of tarmac walking and airplane step climbing. I have had numerous occasion to fly down to San Jose, CA (hello, Betty Sherri!), where tarmac walking and step climbing were de rigueur at the old terminal (and may still be, for all I know - I've been flying in to the new terminal lately). In a couple of days I'll be flying to Charleston, SC, where I hope to have no airplane steps/tarmac walking in store. Anchorage, Alaska is my only experience of tarmac walking and stair climbing.

Maiden aunts are always Miss in Neeldom. Never Ms. Just sayin'. I kind of miss that we don't use Miss, Ms. or Mrs. much anymore. I sign emails to my kids' teachers and the Mrs. van Voorhees seems pretentious. It oughtn't.