A FRIEND IN NEED.

I have a Cousin Bob who always is in good spirits. There are moments when things

are not going so well but he’s not one for letting it get him down. We should take

a deep breath and look at the situation in a different light, he’d tell you.

He’s a good inspiration for all of us. Try to look on the bright side.

He doesn’t push it. It comes as a casual remark.

He’d tell you it can’t be as bad as it seems. Then he’ll wait for your reply.

Clear the head. Take time to think of alternatives. They may not come all at once.

If that doesn’t work put the problem aside for a while. Before you tackle it again

with a different perspective.

Writer’s comment: I’m asked from time to time how do I start writing a book.

Where do the ideas come from? How to get started? It’s a good question. I jot down

things that might work. Take the book I’m working on. COWBOY It’s a western. What if

he’s forced back to the past to settle what happened? That’s the way I look at it.

Working out bits of the plot as I go along.

RUNNING ON ITS OWN

We enjoy going out for breakfast on a Sunday morning. To

a restaurant In Woodbridge called Denny’s. You order comes

on a motorized three-level tray on wheels.

It stops at your table and waits for a waiter to serve you.

It’s fascinating to watch.

I ask him how the thing works.

He points to the ceiling where a group of small round

discs seemingly control where it’s to go. To which table.

“Someone in the kitchen loads up what you ordered," he said, "and

pushes, in your case, number 66. And off it goes. Right to you.”

I look around at the many tables and chairs scattered about

in no particular order. It left me puzzling how it could manipulate

its way without bumping into something.

“It will stop,” he said, “if anyone is in its path.”

The waiter was telling us this while placing our breakfasts in

front us. He disappeared and it toddled on back to the kitchen on

its own.

Writer’s comment: I’m stumped at such situations like this. How

can it work on its own with no one paying attention? It even waited

to let us pass as we headed out the door.