Pat Taub
Family News
Last weekend I traveled to Chicago for my grandson’s 8thgrade graduation. Max lives with his older sister, Jane, 15 and parents in Oak Park, a Chicago suburb. As the saying goes, time flies by. I have vivid memories of Max’s birth 14 years ago this August. It was bittersweet because it was the same month Hurricane Katrina ripped into New Orleans. With a new baby one is pretty much confined to the house. Max’s mother, Melissa and I were glued to the news coverage of Katrina, aghast at the devastation, especially the neglect for the African American community.
Grandson Max celebrating his graduation
Yours truly flanked by grandkids, Jane, 15 and Max, almost 14
A Riveting Production of “Frankenstein”
During my Chicago visit my son and daughter-in-law treated me to a dazzling new production of Mary Shelly’s “Frankenstein” at Chicago’s experimental theater, The Looking Glass. This highly imaginative, energetic production stars 18 year-old Mary vacationing in Switzerland with her lover, the poet Shelly and three friends, including Lord Bryon. Shelly leads them in an evening of story telling where she describes the now famous tale of Dr. Frankenstein’s experiment gone wrong.
The opening of “Frankenstein” with Mary Shelly beginning her narration of her famous tale
When They See Us by Ava DuVernay
This morning I watched Amy Goodman on “Democracy Now,” interview the writer-director, Ava DuVernay discussing her new Netflix series, “When They See Us,” about the infamous 1989 case of the “Central Park Five,” where five black teenage boys were unjustly accused of brutally raping a white woman jogger. They were exonerated in 2002 when the real rapist Matias Reyes confessed to the crime, and, based on DNA evidence, the charges against the five were vacated.
Many of you may recall that Trump took out full-page ads in New York newspapers, under the heading “Bring back the death penalty. Bring back our police!” Though Trump did not name the Central Park Five defendants, he was essentially calling for the execution of innocent minors.
Summer is Finally Here!
After unending cold winter weather and an absent spring, summer temps are gracing Maine this weekend. I’m hoping for my first trip to the beach on Sunday! Other summer dreams center on mojito’s, the Farmer’s Market, summer gardens and sandals. Warm sunny days bring smiles all around.
Three cheers for summer!
