18 Comments
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Nancy Harmon Jenkins's avatar

Brief encounters are sometimes best.

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Richard Goodman's avatar

Indeed.

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Laura O'Keefe's avatar

So much warmth here! And also your conversation with Howanda barely mentions your recent marriage, your happiness over it resonates through this entire piece.

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Richard Goodman's avatar

So sweet of you to say!

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Laura O'Keefe's avatar

Sorry: that should be "although," not "also."

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olivier's avatar

And that's exactly what it felt like. Something simple that any human being can relate to his/her own experience.

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Judith Harmon Miller's avatar

Howanda and you . . . . .that is a double whammy of energy coming through in the writing.

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Richard Goodman's avatar

Thanks, Judy! I hope so!

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olivier's avatar

Cheerful and funny. It is also nice to think that your community being fairly small, you are pretty likely to get a ride with her again. I like the way you contrasted the faulty spark plug and the pure energy of Howanda's character.

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Richard Goodman's avatar

Thanks, Olivier. I wanted to do something very simple. Not profound. Capture what J.D. Salinger called "a frozen moment in time."

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Catherine Lane Diehl's avatar

Wonderful story...with all the good stuff...(humor, compassion, sharing, honesty, therapy) plus a surprise happy ending with a wedding announcement. Congratulations!

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Richard Goodman's avatar

Thanks so much, Catherine! Keep me posted about your own work.

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Marina Osipova's avatar

I don’t know why, but this simple story gave me goosebumps. In a good meaning. Richard, you attract good—wonderful—people and each encounter becomes an amazing story. It’s your talent of a storyteller who makes everything around you play with magical colors.

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Richard Goodman's avatar

Thank you so much, Marina!

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Elizabeth Godfrey's avatar

Ooo, I love this! These meetings of souls/minds/ kindred spirits are such a gift. And congratulations on your marriage! Gaywynn sounds like a truly good person, and love, at any age, is a good thing.

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Richard Goodman's avatar

Thanks, Elizabeth! Pretty wild and crazy but good.

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Kaylene's avatar

Ohhh! Congratulations! What a happy, energetic piece of writing! Wishing you and Gaywynn every happiness!

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Richard Goodman's avatar

Thank you, Kaylene!

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