Mirror Mirror, Langston Hughes, What One Dog is Currently Reading

RockSea picked Bobby, Jonathan’s Charleston colleague, to be her owner. Bobby posted the above on facebook with another picture of him with four colleagues—all human--each holding up a copy of my memoir. Fun to see that FMR and I made it to Charleston.

Fun, too, to see my friend, Stephanie Hart’s presentation at a Parsons fashion seminar taught by Pamela Roskin. I’ve been a writing instructor at the New School since 1980. Last week was the first time I attended a Parsons class. Stephanie read two poignant sections “Shopping” and “Birthday Cake Dress” from her evocative memoir, MIRROR MIRROR.

Then she showed the gowns her mother, Gertrude, designed. Elegant gowns. Beaded gowns. Gertrude’s passion for clothes figures heavily in the book as do Stephanie’s feelings about her. Several students tried on the gowns. Pamela reminded us how clothes look different on different people and how we remember what we wore to events in our lives.

That evening, I wore a little black dress to an event at the Langston Hughes House on 127th Street. Renee Watson, my former student now friend, and author of several books for children, is leading an effort to turn the Hughes house into a community space for artists.

At the gala, Jacqueline Woodson read a Langston Hughes poem. Renee and others spoke. Langston Hughes’ typewriter is on a table in the living room.

And….at home RockSea’s picture is now on table next to my computer. Owner Bobby had a plaque made and sent it to me. RockSea and I stare at each other. We wear our reading glasses in the same way. Bobby wrote: “Spoiled dog. Now she wants a Kindle.”