Pat Taub
My Grandson’s Birthday
Today my grandson Max celebrates his 12th birthday. I always associate Max with Katrina because he was born a few days before the flood walls broke in New Orleans turning this beautiful city into a nightmare for its African American citizens. While caring for Max, my daughter-in-law and I were glued to the television watching the Katrina horrors unfold, gasping in disbelief at people trapped in their homes while rescue teams were woefully slow to respond. Ironically as the anniversary of Katrina approaches, Hurricane Harvey is headed for Texas.
Max, 12, today with his sister, Jane, 13, on their first day of school this year
Nocturnal City Walks
I live in downtown Portland, making it possible to reach most destinations on foot. I relish the discoveries walking creates. Last night, just as the sun was setting, I walked home after dinner with a friend at a restaurant on the opposite side of town. I passed a group of young Muslim mothers and their school age children. I stopped to watch the girls, dressed in long skirts and headscarves hold a foot race on the sidewalk. They laughed as they ran, prompting their mothers to join in. Later I lingered on the quiet commercial streets, gazing in shop windows and peering into a bookstore whose large crowd was listening to the celebrated Maine writer, Richard Russo.
Francine, a WOW muse
This week at the Portland library I ran into Francine, a woman whom I’ve featured in past “Short Takes.” I love Francine’s original style and free spirit. She didn’t hesitate to pose for me. I joked with her that she makes me feel like the New York Times street fashion photographer, Bill Cunningham, who repeatedly photographed his favorite fashionistas.
