From: HMMeister at aol.com
Date: Fri, 4 Mar 2005 13:34:42 EST
Subject: Puritans on Ice

> Well, I am kind of partial to Samuel Sewall, the only Massachussetts judge
> to apologize and do public penance for his role in the Salem witch trials,
> and the author (in 1700) of the first anti-slavery pamphlet published in
> North America, myself.
>
> Jim Tourtelott>
>


And from this you make a cocktail party?

Me, I think cocktail party, and I think martinis, Noel Coward, Dorothy Parker,
Scotch, little black dresses, wit, finger food that makes you lick your fingers
after, innuendo, Cole Porter, flirtation, ice cubes tinkling in glasses,
dalliance, did I mention wit, innuendo and flirtation with intelligent women in
pumps?, gin, suits either dark blue or black and no vests for God's sake,
sudden laughter from another part of the house, breaking glass from *another*
part of the house, pumps, Miles Davis from the 50s, Julie Cruise, bourbon, a
joke I haven't heard before, perfume I have to be close to know, one room where
it's quiet and there's no one else just for a minute or two, ice cold sparkling
water with lemon, couples who suddenly emerge into the room from elsewhere
smiling, anticipating a simple late supper for two, and the occasional and
fleeting sensation that life really could be better than it is.

Oh, and witty flirtation with intelligent women I am not married to. Did I
mention that?

Howard