10/01/2020

            It’s my 60th birthday. Perhaps you will send me a card. That would be nice.

            I got an email from the President of my Dartmouth class. We were members of the same senior society so had a friendly acquaintance. His brief note said, “Welcome to the Geezers’ Club,” to which I responded, “LOL.” Of course, I had to look up the origins of “geezer.” Some say it comes from the word, “guise,” as in “disguise.” Since folks in masks feel free to act in strange ways, “geezer” highlights the somewhat erratic behavior of the elderly. In texts from the 1800s, the word seems to describe men more than women, but when applied to a woman it means something like, “witch.” I welcome the idea that I am now a woman in disguise free to act unpredictably and work my magic in the world. I think the word, “geezer” suits you well, too. Although I think your work is more like mayhem, than magic.

            Speaking of mayhem, I hope you are now fully informed about the Proud Boys & will let them know that you do not approve of their antics. While you are at it, you can tell the Boogaloo Boys to stand down. You will recall that AF Staff Sgt Steven Carillo has affiliations with that group. In May, he murdered a police officer during protests in Oakland & another officer in Santa Cruz. I have written to you before about male toxicity & the misguided young men in these groups fuel one another’s angst. I’m afraid that you do, too. If they show up to polling places amped up on testosterone with their AK-47s, they could do something stupid. I don’t think they’re going to take the time to participate in the training that poll watchers are supposed to receive & won’t realize that they aren’t supposed to talk to the voters. I’m sure you don’t want to win an election through voter intimidation. Do you?

            You have plenty of time to settle things down so we can all experience a free & fair election. I hope you will do so.

            BYBS,