This 1993 movie with Melissa Gilbert, Patty Duke and Wiliam Shatner was based on the life of Edith Carnahan Neukom and her daughter Jody. The movie was good but not true to actual events. A book, Jody, was written by Jody's husband in 1976 was a more accurate description of events. Edith Carnahan was the wife of my grandmother's brother, Reno Neukom. The story: About August, 1922, Edith Bernice Carnahan, 15 year old daughter of Sam and Flossie Carnahan (farmer from Auburn) was sexually assaulted by an older man in a barn while walking to school. No arrests or information is available. A document was found stating that Edith said her biological father was "Culbertson". A neighbor to the Carnahans was Ivan Culbertson, age 38. Edith was sent to a Woman's shelter in Fort Wayne and had twins on April 10, 1923. There are few records as the shelter did not keep good records and kept mos...
As I approach the sunset of my life, I am paying more attention to the sunrises. I have always been an early riser and placed great value on break of the day work or leisure. It is more important to me now, at 76. I want to see that sun rise as much as I can. Today was special. Einstein and I departed the house in the dark. There was an unusual heavy fog and there was that smell. I'm going to call it a heavy, moist cloud of ozone that permeated every inch of our walk this morning. It's a wonderful smell and Salomon Farm's landscape of fields and woods was the epicenter of the fragrance. Dozens of beautiful spider webs dotted the yards and landscape. Invisible during the day, the moisture collected on the webs and made a giant snowflake. The spiders are mostly invisible but this morning's ozone blast has displayed their nightly art work. This morning's smell woke up a memory for me. Linda and I used to visit her uncle...
You know the one I am talking about. When they pull their cell phone out of their pocket and give it the stare. It could also be called a glare, it is intense. They just stared at their phone two minutes ago, but there they go again. What exactly are they waiting for? One would think they were praying to some cellular god that lives inside their phone. "Please god, have someone call or text me". I am so lonely. Cell phones, like computers, have empowered the meekest and weakest of us with a sense of power. Someone has texted me, therefore, I am important. If I were to miss a call......it would be the end of the world, as we know it. I spend a lot of time waiting in airports. I feel like Woody Allen, observing life on this planet. For the most part, everyone in the airport is looking at their cell phone. That L.E.D. light emitting from the phone shines on their face. Perhaps God is really talking to them from his enlightened throne. I am no exce...
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