tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1443515033089669860.post3563368525979285257..comments2024-03-27T13:26:32.587-07:00Comments on Mystery Fanfare: Sue Grafton: R.I.P.Janet Rudolphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07395834961880172395noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1443515033089669860.post-20966016851276279352018-01-30T14:06:35.836-08:002018-01-30T14:06:35.836-08:00What a lovely post from KarMick Spirits.What a lovely post from KarMick Spirits.Dianehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14090434162244376007noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1443515033089669860.post-13039852573624800532018-01-30T11:16:22.371-08:002018-01-30T11:16:22.371-08:00This is just sort of a "I miss you tribute&qu...This is just sort of a "I miss you tribute" to Sue Grafton. Not meant to replace her Z is for Zero.<br /><br />Z is for <br />Eternal Sleep<br /><br /><br />By Ed, the Cat<br /><br />I remember the day that Kinsey died. I had gotten up early and snuck out the window that Henry so lovingly opens for me in the early hours before dawn. The morning air was chilly and smelled a lot like cinnamon rolls baking in the oven at Henry’s loving hands. <br /><br />I hunted for hours to no avail, ending up only startling a few birds. There is no doubt my hunting efforts were impeded by the neighbor dog’s incessant screeching and jumping up and down at the front window. Why his parents allowed such inappropriate behavior is far beyond my imagination. I did at last catch a tiny little mouse and pranced myself right up to Kinsey’s front door, dropping my prize on the step so she could partake in the joy of my prowess. Then I slid under the bushes and waited for her to pop out in her running shoes, knowing she would scream with delight the instant she opened the door. I waited; and waited. I then found myself a little ray of sunlight to bask in while drifting off for a quick mid-morning nap. <br /><br />I awoke when I heard the scream - but it was Henry’s voice rather than Kinsey’s. At first I thought I was still dreaming. My beloved Henry fell to his knees while making mournful cries and his face was totally wet with tears. Then I looked past Henry and saw Kinsey. She, too, was on the floor, but she was a very unusual shade of blue. No tears. No sound. No expression. In fact, she had that same peaceful look on her face as did the little mouse at her front doorstep. It made me feel sad as she certainly did not appear to miss me; or Henry. <br /><br />There was a big difference in Henry after that day. He would still sit quietly and stroke my head, but his touch was apathetic. I often pondered the meaning of life during that period of dismay. It seemed to me that life was just a big lie; an overwhelming tale that grownups told little children to give them hope of something better until they grew up and had to face reality. I call this grownup lie the “Santa Claus Syndrome.” <br /><br />Adult people know full well there’s no Santa Claus, no Cinderella, no glass slipper. They know that kids don’t grow up, fall in love, and live happily ever after. They know that people are going to have financial difficulties, gain weight, get scars, lose their fur, but they don’t tell you any of that. From the very second you are born, they know you’re going to die. But you don’t know it. It takes quite a while to figure that out because it takes quite a while for little brains to grow big enough to hold all that immense information. Somebody needs to write a book that is required reading when you’re very young so that you don’t grow up believing all this bullshit. Bullshit like our government is without fault for anything bad, and that politicians really do like babies. Bullshit like you should eat all your vegetables, and you should never play with your food. <br /><br />I think all my pondering made me realize a lot about Kinsey. She didn’t waste money on clothes or makeup. She treated people fairly although she really didn’t like people in general. She wasn’t fond of kids and kept all animals at arm’s length except for a very few times when she would let me rub against her legs, or sit quietly with me, staring unblinking for what seemed like hours. But the thing I realized most of all was that she knew one day she would be gone. No tears. No sound. No expression. I don’t think she had any idea, however, that I was so fond of her or that I would miss her so much. I know I didn’t. KarMic Spiritshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05623593335101510164noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1443515033089669860.post-72449155073131554732017-12-30T20:30:56.305-08:002017-12-30T20:30:56.305-08:00Thank you. And love you— this is very difficult, a...Thank you. And love you— this is very difficult, and I have loved reading this. Hank Phillippi Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17420701704169428286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1443515033089669860.post-24973794753555071202017-12-30T12:06:24.084-08:002017-12-30T12:06:24.084-08:00What a sad end to the year. She will be missed.What a sad end to the year. She will be missed.Dianehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14090434162244376007noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1443515033089669860.post-89200164627630260812017-12-30T12:01:05.950-08:002017-12-30T12:01:05.950-08:00Janet, thanks for bringing us this devastating new...Janet, thanks for bringing us this devastating news in your typical caring, gentle way. I feel as if I've lost a friend, though I knew Sue only slightly from mystery events.<br /><br />When I was recuperating from surgery two years ago, I found that all I wanted to read was her books. So I reread R–W and they were great comfort reads. I love Kinsey, and Henry, and being back in the 1980s, before life got so complicated.Meredith Phillipsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1443515033089669860.post-54312269695910466582017-12-30T06:36:47.335-08:002017-12-30T06:36:47.335-08:00It's hard to believe there will be no more boo...It's hard to believe there will be no more books from Sue Grafton, nor those casual and gracious encounters at conferences or writing groups. She was a remarkable woman and writer, and our world of mysteries won't be the same without her.Susan Oleksiwhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02693057997469296068noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1443515033089669860.post-43546869359606900252017-12-30T04:50:37.401-08:002017-12-30T04:50:37.401-08:00The reminiscences of the mystery community about S...The reminiscences of the mystery community about Sue are especially poignant. Thank you for sharing yours. I still haven't processed her passing. She was an inspiration to every woman who ever wanted to write a mystery.<br /><br />Jacquiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04257009357292123013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1443515033089669860.post-54862678761613483282017-12-29T15:33:36.647-08:002017-12-29T15:33:36.647-08:00thank you for this beautiful tribute. thank you for this beautiful tribute. Cynthiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09353703006911833360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1443515033089669860.post-73021443760627669332017-12-29T15:32:40.882-08:002017-12-29T15:32:40.882-08:00Sue often spoke about how she'd tour for "...Sue often spoke about how she'd tour for "Z is for Zero" in a pink ambulance. I'm sorry her fans will never get the chance to read the final book in her series, but I'll forever be grateful for A-Y, and she was an exceedingly kind and gracious person. I treasure the time I spent with her at LCC in Monterey.Sue Trowbridgenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1443515033089669860.post-59485968398744207542017-12-29T15:26:05.108-08:002017-12-29T15:26:05.108-08:00This is such sad news. She was one of my favorite ...This is such sad news. She was one of my favorite authors and I don't have that many favorite authors. I wanted to write like Sue Grafton. I loved Kinsey Millhone. It's so hard to believe. <br /><br />Susan Bernhardthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01330803466256986365noreply@blogger.com