Dialect

[catelin]

She is a tangle of accents and drawls from too many places as a kid. When she laughs, he hears New Orleans. When they fight, it’s the red dirt girl from her grandmother’s farm. Shopping brings out the Valley Girl; and when she’s sad, his heart breaks at the trace of Appalachia that clings to each resigned word. When she’s gone, he sits and watches the news every morning from Atlanta. He doesn’t listen to what they say so much as how they say it, and he wonders how it is that people learn to sound like they are from nowhere.

Comments

[lillianleitzel.livejournal.com]

!!!!!!!

[noblwish.livejournal.com]

That's beautiful! Did you write that? Is it an opening for a book? It leaves me wanting to know more.

[jourdannex.livejournal.com]

Oh Cate...it's gorgeous. And yet you leave only one paragrah, tease. ;)

[summer-jackel.livejournal.com]

beautiful writing. Will there be more?

[iamkatia.livejournal.com]

ufff..... gorgeous..

[ne-penthos.livejournal.com]

beautifully written. Bravo:)

a cat's death

[archivist10.livejournal.com]

A while ago you wrote about having to put your old cat to sleep. My cat was old and had an ear amputated for cancer, but I've never had to "call time" on a pet's life before... I remembered your words because they seemed to set such a good example of genuine care. Today our cat had to be put to sleep..he had suddenly deteriorated and in the end the vet said he had secondary tumours on his liver, so there was no real decision. BUT if it hadn't been for your account, I wouldn't have stayed while they injected him. You set me the example to stay and stroke him and though it was very sad, I feel better knowing I didn't desert him. My 16 year old daughter stayed too (it was really her cat) and staying has really helped her. I want to thank you because your words had such a positive impact on our response.

Re: a cat's death

[catelin.livejournal.com]

I'm so sorry for your loss, but humbled and happy that my words could have had such an effect. Thank you.

[hellnation.livejournal.com]

very beautiful.
so small, yet so powerful.
i'm really liking this series of vignettes.

[auntysocial.livejournal.com]

I have lived in California since I was two years old. Someone listened to me speak and said, "You're from Wisconsin." My parents grew up in Wisconsin, and I lived there very briefly as a baby. What an ear!

[wisteria.livejournal.com]

Beautifully written! Left me wantin more! :) Deb

[sun-set-bravely.livejournal.com]

Good morning, birthday gal! I'm away from the internet most of the day, so I wanted to pop in here and wish you a fantastic day. I hope that the next year of your journey brings you endless opportunities for love, joy, growth, and peace. Happy Birthday!!!

[catelin.livejournal.com]

Thank you!!! : )

3/16

[lolliejean.livejournal.com]

Hey Ladybug! Happy Birthday! I sing for you!. xo ~ Lori

Re: 3/16

[catelin.livejournal.com]

That sweet voice. A treat! : )

[rockstarbob.livejournal.com]

Happy day to you, herma!

[catelin.livejournal.com]

Gracias! : )

[cathead9.livejournal.com]

Oh, I love listening to people's accents and trying to guess where they're from......great writing, as usual!

[thepetey.livejournal.com]

some where along the line in one of my fits, I lost you from my friend's list. I'm sorry I delted you and myself, but i am not having the BEST of times and am subject to fits of stupidity.

(I in fact temporarily deleted my account and EVERYONE from my list) If this is the reason I was dropped from you list, I apologize and politley ask to be reinstated. If it was just some house keeping, I understand.

[catelin.livejournal.com]

Not a problem. : )

[thepetey.livejournal.com]

I love the last line of that peice. I have often been told that I have no accent, even from people with very heavy accents, in places all over the country. I used to call it "television english", but now it is called "non-regional dialect". I developed it as a kid, definately from watching too much television, but also probably because of having my accents made fun of. In third grade my family moved to florida, and I was made fun of for beng from NJ anf the way I spoke. 3 years later i moved back to NJ and was made fun of for sounding like i was from the south: children are cruel. So somewhere along the line, I started to sohnd like i was from nowhere.