CH "Spindrift" by Chris D Hunter

Spindrift is a collection of humor essays loosely grouped by topics, locales and characters. The title, from the froth that’s blown from the tops of white-capping waves on windy days, symbolizes what I have chosen to write about. It’s whatever blows off the top of my head, and when you’re baldheaded every day is windy. A good long time ago I read one of those self-help, how to be rich and famous books, and I remember the author made a point of setting goals. He instructed the reader to make lists of wants and desires and goals and to put no limit on the imagination. Some of the wilder things I put on my list were to own a Rolls Royce, to have a million dollars to retire on and to be a published author. Evidently, the rest of what he advised, especially the chapters on how to obtain those goals, I disregarded. As the years have passed the desires have changed. I no longer wish to own a Rolls Royce, although it might be fun to drive one around for a day if someone else paid for the gas. And I suppose you could say it’s the sour grapes talking, but I no longer have my sights set on working for that million dollars. Should it fall into my lap by chance or charity is quite another matter entirely. Like many things in life, my motives weren’t clear, I don’t know why I put down “to be a published author” on that list long ago. Perhaps it was a conditioned reflex. I had always been encouraged to write. I think it was similar to when you don’t want a puppy to destroy your favorite slippers so you give it something else to chew on. You offer a substitute to keep the puppy occupied and out of trouble. Or, like a child producing reams of crayon drawings that get stuck on the refrigerator, at least the child isn’t drawing on the walls. There are always ooohs and aaahs and a special place of honor is found for the child’s picture to hang until the next one comes along. My parents, teachers, spouse, relatives and friends always had kind things to say about my narratives so I responded as a child and would toddle off to produce another. And I haven’t chewed up anybody’s slippers lately either.