There's Something About Mary

“Did you ever notice that the first piece of luggage on the carousel never belongs to anyone?” ~ Erma Bombeck ~ (may she rest in peace) 

I love classic Erma Bombeck. I miss her humor. One of my young co-workers has never heard of her. You say, "what??" 

Yes. I'm the older generation now. I can hardly believe it. I could give you a long list of things my younger friends have never heard of ... except I can't remember what they are.

So, I thought about Erma Bombeck all day long yesterday. That's how I roll. I'm one of those people who gets an idea or a song in their head and it gets stuck on repeat. The good thing is that most of those ideas are anchored with other experiences and I enjoy the memories that come with them. I simply cannot think of Erma Bombeck without thinking of a very good friend I used to work with named Mary.

Mary has a wicked sense of humor and she taught me to see the funny things in life.  For instance, one day out of the blue she said, "have you ever noticed they put instructions on the bottom of candles? Like some dummies need instructions to light a candle?" Well, you gotta know I drove right home that night and looked at the bottom of a candle. You'll do it too ... trust me. After spending a couple of years working in close proximity to Mary, I have never been the same. She really brought out my dark humor and she is one of the rare people I've met who I can share it with.  Funny how people can influence your life that way. 

I thought of Mary when I shot this photo last year in some little podunk town in Utah or Nevada, could have even been Arizona.  "Swallows Drugs" ~ a pharmacy.

I miss you Mary but I want you to know I'm still laughing and I think of you way more often than I tell you about. 

love, susan