My Friend Marge
Learning the Mexican life41 total reviews
Comment from Joan E.
How exciting that you are in contact with Marge again! I enjoyed your story about a meaningful learning experience. Your use of detail is very effective, as in the "cream-filled cats" simile and the "eleven siblings"! Cheers and best wishes in the contest- Joan
reply by the author on 23-Dec-2017
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How exciting that you are in contact with Marge again! I enjoyed your story about a meaningful learning experience. Your use of detail is very effective, as in the "cream-filled cats" simile and the "eleven siblings"! Cheers and best wishes in the contest- Joan
Comment Written 22-Dec-2017
reply by the author on 23-Dec-2017
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Oh my, you must have gone back a way to find this story. I appreciate your great review and for taking the time to read and comment. Have a marvelous holiday season.
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It was posted back in May, but the picture and your notes intrigued me and motivated me to read the piece. I'm glad I did. I look forward to reading more of your work. Smiles- Joan
Comment from Ann Philips
You did a very nice job of taking this challenge and creating a story. The imagery comparing clouds and cats, and the Mexican girl and fawn was effective.
The story told about real people developing a relationship while using a very limited number of words. I could honestly see this story becoming a children's novel.
I think the last paragraph was the weakest part. It effectively summarized what happened, but took me out of the story and seemed more the concluding paragraph of an essay or article.
Very nicely done. Good luck in the contest.
reply by the author on 17-Jun-2017
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You did a very nice job of taking this challenge and creating a story. The imagery comparing clouds and cats, and the Mexican girl and fawn was effective.
The story told about real people developing a relationship while using a very limited number of words. I could honestly see this story becoming a children's novel.
I think the last paragraph was the weakest part. It effectively summarized what happened, but took me out of the story and seemed more the concluding paragraph of an essay or article.
Very nicely done. Good luck in the contest.
Comment Written 17-Jun-2017
reply by the author on 17-Jun-2017
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Thanks for reading and commenting. I thought the last paragraph could have been stronger too. Sometimes I get in too big of a hurry.
Comment from Kerry Foley Robinson
Oh, My Goodness, what a wonderful story this is. I actually cried from the happiness of your fond memories, it is such a very sweet and touching story. It is so wonderful you are in touch with Marge again. This is an absolutely fantastic story. Best of luck to you! ~Kerry
reply by the author on 17-Jun-2017
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Oh, My Goodness, what a wonderful story this is. I actually cried from the happiness of your fond memories, it is such a very sweet and touching story. It is so wonderful you are in touch with Marge again. This is an absolutely fantastic story. Best of luck to you! ~Kerry
Comment Written 17-Jun-2017
reply by the author on 17-Jun-2017
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Thanks for taking the time to read and comment. I'm glad I found Marge again too. It was just by accident that I met Marge's youngest sister at a funeral.
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Oh, is'nt that something, small world. It was a wonderfully written story. I really loved it.
I voted for yours. They were all really good.
Comment from LaRosa
I love your descriptive ability. The whole third paragraph describing your meeting with Marge is awesome:
'startle fawn'
'bare toes curled in warm sand'
'smiled at me through a tangle of long black hair'
You made the reader feel she was there with you. very nice!
Your story line flowed logically and was well crafted.
It's nice to hear something other than the typical attitudes toward the migrant worker for a change.
reply by the author on 16-Jun-2017
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I love your descriptive ability. The whole third paragraph describing your meeting with Marge is awesome:
'startle fawn'
'bare toes curled in warm sand'
'smiled at me through a tangle of long black hair'
You made the reader feel she was there with you. very nice!
Your story line flowed logically and was well crafted.
It's nice to hear something other than the typical attitudes toward the migrant worker for a change.
Comment Written 15-Jun-2017
reply by the author on 16-Jun-2017
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Thanks for reading and your kind comments. Marge was a good lesson for me. Before Marge, I looked at the Mexicans as simply hired hands and had very little contact with them. Now I have a lot of Mexican friends and love them all.
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All it really takes is 'contact on a personal level' to make all cultures AOkay!
God bless!
Comment from sunao
Beautiful! I am so glad that you met Marge. Most of all, I am so glad that you are now in contact again. Oh how you will reminisce about the past. I pray that God continues to bless your friendship. Please keep up the good work. I actually also wrote an essay for this contest and it is called Finding a Lifelong Friend.
reply by the author on 01-Jun-2017
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Beautiful! I am so glad that you met Marge. Most of all, I am so glad that you are now in contact again. Oh how you will reminisce about the past. I pray that God continues to bless your friendship. Please keep up the good work. I actually also wrote an essay for this contest and it is called Finding a Lifelong Friend.
Comment Written 01-Jun-2017
reply by the author on 01-Jun-2017
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Thanks for taking the time to read and comment. I will have to read your story too. Thanks for the six stars. they are appreciated.
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Your welcome!
Comment from BeasPeas
This is a very nicely written story. It's clear and well described, flows well, and on a timely topic. Love the photo and I'm glad you girls are in touch again. Much luck in the contest with this fine entry. Marilyn
reply by the author on 28-May-2017
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This is a very nicely written story. It's clear and well described, flows well, and on a timely topic. Love the photo and I'm glad you girls are in touch again. Much luck in the contest with this fine entry. Marilyn
Comment Written 28-May-2017
reply by the author on 28-May-2017
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Thanks for the great review, Bea. I love the Mexican culture, and especially, the food.
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I love the food, too. Marilyn
Comment from hvysmker
Like you, I've found people basically the same around the world. You only have to adjust to their customs and habits.
I once had a Mexican brother in Law. On our first meeting the three of us, including my sister dined at a local Mexican restaurant. He warned me of how hot the food was.
Now, a little explanation is necessary. I love hot food, the hottest such as Japanese and Thai. When in Vietnam I would buy large bags of dried hot peppers and make sauce from them that only myself and some Viets could stomach. Even the Mexican GIs couldn't eat it.
My brother in law was surprised in that I not only ate their hottest foods but sprinkled Tabasco sauce on it, he-he-gigglesnort.
Charlie
reply by the author on 25-May-2017
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Like you, I've found people basically the same around the world. You only have to adjust to their customs and habits.
I once had a Mexican brother in Law. On our first meeting the three of us, including my sister dined at a local Mexican restaurant. He warned me of how hot the food was.
Now, a little explanation is necessary. I love hot food, the hottest such as Japanese and Thai. When in Vietnam I would buy large bags of dried hot peppers and make sauce from them that only myself and some Viets could stomach. Even the Mexican GIs couldn't eat it.
My brother in law was surprised in that I not only ate their hottest foods but sprinkled Tabasco sauce on it, he-he-gigglesnort.
Charlie
Comment Written 25-May-2017
reply by the author on 25-May-2017
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Thank you for reading and your amusing remarks. I love Mexican food and I like it hot too. I had a brother-in-law who was Indonesian and introduced me to some interesting dishes. I like Chinese food as well.
Comment from pome lover
A very nice story about meeting people different from you. I am curious - did you learn some Spanish?
As an adult I have had a somewhat similar experience moving from Georgia to Texas. A gal in my writing critique group is Hispanic and I have learned a lot about her culture from her and her writing, and we are friends. And of course, now I cook Mexican food all the time.
I'm sure the experience described in this story is one of your favorites and you value it. You told it honestly and well with realistic descriptions.
Oh, and hablo Espanol un poco. :)
pome lover
reply by the author on 20-May-2017
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A very nice story about meeting people different from you. I am curious - did you learn some Spanish?
As an adult I have had a somewhat similar experience moving from Georgia to Texas. A gal in my writing critique group is Hispanic and I have learned a lot about her culture from her and her writing, and we are friends. And of course, now I cook Mexican food all the time.
I'm sure the experience described in this story is one of your favorites and you value it. You told it honestly and well with realistic descriptions.
Oh, and hablo Espanol un poco. :)
pome lover
Comment Written 20-May-2017
reply by the author on 20-May-2017
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Thanks for reading and commenting. No, I never did learn to speak much Spanish. There is no reason I couldn't have with Marge and her family around each summer. I don't know why, we just spoke English most of the time. I did learn a few words, like (meeta machachos,) which meant (look, boys) As young girls we were always admiring the handsome young men. LOL
Comment from Leena
Whether as a temporary acquaintance or for long, getting truly connected with someone from an altogether different culture definitely gives us a one of a kind fulfilling experience. A beautifully penned memoir indeed. Best wishes for the contest!
reply by the author on 20-May-2017
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Whether as a temporary acquaintance or for long, getting truly connected with someone from an altogether different culture definitely gives us a one of a kind fulfilling experience. A beautifully penned memoir indeed. Best wishes for the contest!
Comment Written 20-May-2017
reply by the author on 20-May-2017
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Thanks for taking the time to read and comment. Yep, Marge and her family taught me a lot about other races.
Comment from Dean Kuch
Pee Wee Herman once ran into a woman on a dark, desolate, very lonely stretch of highway who went by the name of "Large Marge."
While reading this, I found myself wondering if they might possibly be related in some way.
Most probably not.
I think it was that running board on the truck you were all sitting on that might've given me the impression...
Regardless of whether they were related or not, I enjoyed learning that you too enjoyed reading comics as a kid.
My comics of choice were from EC. Tales from the Crypt, The Vault of Horror...you know, stuff like that.
Go figure, right?
"As I recall, it was a hot day with fat, fluffy clouds that hung motionless in the air, like white, cream filled cats asleep on a carpet of blue." ... Excellent use of simile here. It painted a very vivid image in my mind. Very nice ...
"The young Mexican girl raised her head and smiled at me through a tangle of long black hair. I assumed she couldn't speak our language, so I shrugged, held my hands palm up and said, "Sorry, I can't speak Spanish." To my astonishment, she answered in perfect English without a trace of an accent." ... There now, you see? We all learn racial profiling at a very early age. We just can't help it; it's in our nature ...
"Sadly, time kept moving on, and we all grew up to go our separate ways. I learned so much about the Mexican culture, plus their way of life from Marge and her family. Before Marge came into my life, I looked at the Mexicans simply as hired help, necessary for the running of dad's farm, but not people I wanted to know. Perhaps, I was a bit of a snob back then, but Marge changed my way of looking at other races and their customs. I will never forget the lessons she taught me." ... In the film adaption of Stephen King's novella, "The Body", which first appeared in his anthology, "Different Seasons" (changed to "Stand By Me" for the Rob Riener directed film), actor Richard Dryfess who was playing the role of young Gody Chambers, an aspiring writer, had this to say about friendships forged during our youth:
Although I haven't seen him in more than ten years I know I'll miss him forever.
I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve.
Jesus, does anybody? ...
Excellent story, Anonymous Author.
reply by the author on 20-May-2017
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Pee Wee Herman once ran into a woman on a dark, desolate, very lonely stretch of highway who went by the name of "Large Marge."
While reading this, I found myself wondering if they might possibly be related in some way.
Most probably not.
I think it was that running board on the truck you were all sitting on that might've given me the impression...
Regardless of whether they were related or not, I enjoyed learning that you too enjoyed reading comics as a kid.
My comics of choice were from EC. Tales from the Crypt, The Vault of Horror...you know, stuff like that.
Go figure, right?
"As I recall, it was a hot day with fat, fluffy clouds that hung motionless in the air, like white, cream filled cats asleep on a carpet of blue." ... Excellent use of simile here. It painted a very vivid image in my mind. Very nice ...
"The young Mexican girl raised her head and smiled at me through a tangle of long black hair. I assumed she couldn't speak our language, so I shrugged, held my hands palm up and said, "Sorry, I can't speak Spanish." To my astonishment, she answered in perfect English without a trace of an accent." ... There now, you see? We all learn racial profiling at a very early age. We just can't help it; it's in our nature ...
"Sadly, time kept moving on, and we all grew up to go our separate ways. I learned so much about the Mexican culture, plus their way of life from Marge and her family. Before Marge came into my life, I looked at the Mexicans simply as hired help, necessary for the running of dad's farm, but not people I wanted to know. Perhaps, I was a bit of a snob back then, but Marge changed my way of looking at other races and their customs. I will never forget the lessons she taught me." ... In the film adaption of Stephen King's novella, "The Body", which first appeared in his anthology, "Different Seasons" (changed to "Stand By Me" for the Rob Riener directed film), actor Richard Dryfess who was playing the role of young Gody Chambers, an aspiring writer, had this to say about friendships forged during our youth:
Although I haven't seen him in more than ten years I know I'll miss him forever.
I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve.
Jesus, does anybody? ...
Excellent story, Anonymous Author.
Comment Written 20-May-2017
reply by the author on 20-May-2017
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Thank you for reading and all the great comments. I loved the video about Large Marge. I agree with you on your last remark about the friends we make when we are young. They stay with us forever in our minds.
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My childhood friends sure have.
You're very welcome, and good luck!
~Dean :)
