BOOK-ENDS

          As a 6th grader, I dressed up as the Greek god Mercury, and enacted some of my favorite myths about him (and yes, I am wearing the dining room drapes).   Apparently I was setting the stage for my unforeseen future career as a performance artist / storyteller (archived at http://sararansom.com/ ).
      And now, just yesterday in fact, I performed what may be my final full-on storytelling gig:  a selection of favorite stories along the theme of  "Dreams of Flying."
     Fittingly, I ended the program with the very first story I ever performed -- the story that so motivated me when I first READ it, that I knew I had to perform it -- and so strong was that motivation that I rented a hall, put out flyers/press release, and showed up!
     "Jumping Mouse"  is that story.
     That was in Newburyport, MA -- full house attendance.  People asked me when my next show would be.  I shrugged and said impulsively,  "Next month."  And on it went for decades, to my delight!

* * *

And all of it -- the marvelous pageantry of travels, friendships, adventures --
sandcastles against the tide...
This is not morose.  It is fascinating.