Patty Ann Feldman
(April 18th, 1934 – January 28th,
2013)
She was the chairwoman
of San Dimas Writers Workshop for 20 years.
Her last four years, she could no longer chaired the meeting, but I heard
from her daughter today that her spunky spirit remained the same, and even on
her last day, she still talked with five people while her breathing was getting
difficult. That’s amazing.
I guess I tend
to be serious when I give my comments to writers. One time, she looked into my eyes after reading
my comments on her entertaining essay and said,
“Keiko, you’re
too serious!”
She is right. I need to remember that. Thank you, Pat!
Today was my
second time I attended the Jewish funeral. I
loved the songs the cantor sang playing a guitar. He had the deepest and beautiful voice. He guided us, and we sang together.
After the
funeral, people left one by one, and four or so women from the group were still
talking. I felt good knowing Pat is in peace now and her family also.
One thing I learned
today. Pat’s grandson was asking us if
Pat wrote about him. We couldn’t say for
sure, but all we remember was her funny fiction or essays. I looked at his face and voice inquiring
about his grandmother’s writing if she wrote about him. His words touched me.
Then I thought
about my four-year-old grandson. I was thinking of
writing a funny travelogue of my daughter’s wedding we attended together last
summer. There was a few stressful
moments during the trip which I could turn the story into a comedy. Wait a minute. I have to write something nice in case I die
in near future. I don't know if my grandson cares to know that his parents gave him the largest sized fruit
smoothies, and on the way back on freeway, they had to pull their car over to
the side of the rightmost lane twice and rushed him out of his car seat and pee in public.
I have to
think about that. Thank you,
Pat, for your advice and inspiration.
