Tiny Thoughts

Over Easter, when I was home visiting my parents (another story), my mom mentioned that Art Buchwald was dying and in his act of winding down, he was writing some of his best work. Kinda of like The Brothers Karamazov, by Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky. Fyodor was on fire, because he had perfected his craft, and was racing against time to finish his last and best. The rushing of his writing, helped to create the excitement in the plot.

I have never been a huge Buchwald fan. When I delivered the Washington Post as a young teenager, I'd read his column. But I haven't lived in the Washington area for years. Buchwald's wife was my mom's agent for "The Incomplete Book of Child Care." His wife got a few bites for the book, but it never got sold, and so my mom never finished more than a few chapters. (Which is good, since though I love my mom, I was pretty much raised by wolves.)

This all got me thinking about life without Art Buchwald, and whether someone could possibly replace him, given the lack of anyone (I think) with the proper history to write like Art. Just like why I don't think there are real jazz musicians any more (not entirely true, but somewhat true, because the conditions for jazz is no longer present).

Then I got to thinking about writing a eulogy for Art Buchwald, but sending it to him before he dies. Of course I really don't know much about him, so it would be pretty generic. Like the minister at the funeral who didn't know the deceased. I do think eulogies should be said while the person is living, as it doesn't do much after you are dead. But then I got to thinking that the Art I think I know probably isn't much for eulogies, generic or otherwise.