Arc-en-ciel

I saw a rainbow yesterday, down 24th Street. Not the one pictured above; that was from a few years ago and was further uptown, if memory serves. Yesterday's was the first one I'd seen in a while.

When we were in Ireland last year, I kept expecting to see one -- the weather was conducive. So I guess this was my consolation prize for not being on tour with Neil this time around.

Say what you will, I LIKE rainbows, puppies, and long walks on the beach.

But I DON'T like that cloying "Pina Colada" song.

When I was in fifth grade, all the gals had those metallic puffy clouds and things of that nature hanging from the ceilings of their bedrooms. There were a couple of places in White Plains that sold these items -- "It's New" and "What's What" -- on Mamaroneck Avenue, I think. They sold all those mid-80s novelty gifts, like upside-down soda-can sculptures and enormous pairs of dice. Useful things. Learning toys. My sister had the coveted beanbag chair in her bedroom. Though life has taken many important twists and turns since and those were not the best years of our lives, I have some very warm memories from that house.

Whenever Jules wasn't feeling well, I'd "entertain" her by acting out "Gilligan's Island" -- a spastic, one-kid show in which I played all the parts:

Maryann: "More coconut-papaya pie, professor?"
Thurston: "Lovey, darling!"
Mrs. Howell: "Oh Thurrrrston...."

and so on.

Jules returned the favor by teaching me how to dance which, at the time, involved a lot of finger-snapping. My bedroom had the best mirror in the house, one that took up the entire wall behind my bed (get your minds out of the gutter -- we were children). This meant that many a night, I'd be lying in bed when the door would fly open, the overhead light would go on, and there she'd be, assessing her going-out outfit.

I learned a lot from my sis -- besides how to dance-and-snap. I still learn a lot from her. And she's still a much better dancer.