July 3rd, 2008

In the last five years I’ve learned more about how cruel people can be than any of the 47 years I’ve been around. Most of what I’ve learned about depraved behavior I learned at the hand of a young woman that used to call me “Aunt.” It would be nice to get past the hurt and lies, but I don’t think there is any chance of that happening. Somehow I feel if I let the hurt go entirely I would be forgetting the brother I lost and I can’t do that. Maybe the people who caused this pain can go on like he didn’t exist, but I can’t. I may not write about him everyday, but he is always in my heart. I wish he could be at the launch for the posse book, which has now been rescheduled to June 6th , 2009 in Dodge City. The publication date for Thunder Over the Prairie was set for September of next year, but according to my editor it’s in good shape and ready to go to press. I did get the forword from Jim Sherer, former Mayor of Dodge City, yesterday. He had a lot of nice things to say about the work and I’m grateful. There is a blessing with having had experience with truly ugly people and that is that the truly decent individuals I’ve known stand out all the more. Without the cruel I’ve known it I wouldn’t recognize the kindness in someone like Jim Sherer, or the sweetness in my little adopted niece Breanna Sanders, or the beauty of a special friend long since gone like Edna Kirsten. From that respect I’m thankful I’ve gone through what I have. It improved my vision when I wasn’t even looking.