10:30am: Open Letter Of Introduction To A New Pilgrim In Paradise
Indigo McCambridge Williams
7 Apr 02
To Indigo upon her miraculous arrival-
A brief note of introduction from your godfather (supplemental to our first meeting, in January, when I held and fed you, one of my fondest personal memories):
I was born in New York City on July 15, 1953, (fifteen years to the day before your fathers arrival) of English, German (Pennsylvania Dutch), and Armenian descent, and grew up on Long Island, in Maine, and upstate New York during my early years. After the obligatory secondary, university and graduate education I returned to New York City and opened a trial law practice, which I maintained for 10 years while pursuing the fine arts during my spare time. These included writing (which I have done since childhood), music (as well), and painting. I wrote during early morning and late evening hours, working on my first novel, which I had begun after completing law school in 1978. On weeknights I sang and played acoustic guitar in the speakeasies and folk cafes in Greenwich Village and elsewhere in the city, making the rounds with my good friends Bob Duncan (hereafter Dunc) and Bob Mello (hereafter Mello), both of whom you will meet and who, together with your father and me, make up the four-headed beast loosely known as the G.D.B.R. Co., Los Quatros Amigos, and Barnes & Co. (formerly Barnes, Barnes, Barnes & Barnes, Ltd.). Because my burgeoning law practice was making spare time sparse, after 10 years I finally acceded to the plans my personal interests, happiness and destiny had apparently otherwise arranged for me and abandoned the practice of law, returning to the literature that had always shaped and continues to shape my life. Since 1989 I have been writing full-time, and bartending part-time, and have never looked back. And I must say its a good thing I chose bartending to pay the rent, or it might have taken longer for fate and her muses to draw your father and me together, for certainly we were destined to meet in this life. We have become fast friends, and from this friendship sprang the dream to sail around the world, a dream which brought together your very special father, Rand, and your beautiful and lovely mother, Gillian, and isnt that the splendor of this life: the circle is unbroken, and you are the miracle it has brought forth.
It is a crazy world you have been born into, filled with magic and wonder, and also at times heartbreak and ruin. But we make of it what we will, and I have no doubt you will find your true course, and the path that will fulfill your life, and enrich you with happiness and contentment. I will be here watching you grow into yourself, sharing whatever I have to share of my own life in order to help you with yours, in any way I am able. All you need know is that I will always be here for you and wherever I happen to be is here for your purposes and you may call on me at any time for any thing, and if it is in my power it will be so. And so concluding this brief introduction I welcome you Indigo McCambridge Williams another pilgrim in paradise, to this brave new world, to explore it at your leisure and as you will, and flourish.
Eternally yours-
Your godfather-
G.D. Peters
[*And to the rest of you curious few, this is more than you have gotten from me in all these years, and all that you are going to get!]
Posted by cronish at April 07, 2002 12:17 PM