Reviews from

Grasping the Elusive Dream

Viewing comments for Chapter 15 "Life in the Mid Seventies "
The Followup to Chasing the Elusive Dream

21 total reviews 
Comment from Iza Deleanu
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Don't blame yourself, I used to be a runner as little. I used to watch the road to my grandma house which was in a different side of town, and then go there on my own. Thank you for sharing and good luck with your writings.

 Comment Written 20-Jul-2023


reply by the author on 20-Jul-2023
    Thank you Iza. DId you folks think they had lost you. You were brave to go all the way to a different side of town.
    Beth
Comment from Mary Vigasin
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I think at sometime most busy mom or dad loses sight of a kid or forgets them.
A very enjoyable story, well written and interesting from beginning to end.
Best wishes
Mary

 Comment Written 20-Jul-2023


reply by the author on 20-Jul-2023
    Thanks again Mary. For what the reviewers have said. I thing you are right. It seems most people has had a time when they didn't know where their child was.
    Beth
reply by Mary Vigasin on 20-Jul-2023
    My mom was washing her hair and when she finished she realized my toddler brother was missing. With her head wrapped in a towel, she rushed out other house to find him. She found him sweeping the street with his sister's play broom. Back then not too many in the projects had cars.
    Mary
Comment from jmdg1954
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Beth, I do feel that every parent with multiple children has been in some type of similar situation. Once I was Coaching my older sons baseball team, my youngest son went to play on the swings. I don't recall why, but we had to change baseball fields which required getting in our cars to move to a different (though not far) location.
I left my son playing on the swings. I high-tailed it back so fast to get him.
We laugh about it now (though the wife still gives me a stern once over look).

Great story telling.
John

 Comment Written 20-Jul-2023


reply by the author on 20-Jul-2023
    Thank you John. Yes it seems most of the reviewer has misplaced a child at some point. So now I don't feel like a horrible parents. Thanks for a great review.
    Beth
Comment from lyenochka
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I laughed at your episode of amnesia! Seems like you inadvertently know exactly how to cure Connie of something. Forgetting her made her never wander off. And that witch costume made sure she never opened the door. I don't think you're an "unfit mother," you're a genius!

Thanks for sharing the family time in the 1970s!

I also laughed at " like homing pigeons they kept returning." I have that problem with my youngest.

Even gave me a blank look (Evan)

 Comment Written 19-Jul-2023


reply by the author on 19-Jul-2023
    Thank you Helen. I really appreciate the review and comments. I'm glad you found something to laugh at in this one.
    Beth
Comment from Faith Williams
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Another great chapter, Beth. I think most parents can relate to losing their child. It's an awful feeling. And I love the line about homing pigeons-it made me laugh.

Suggestions to consider:
'... but Evan and Carol perferred...' I believe 'preferred'

'I'd parked several blocks away and I wasn't even sure if I would remember where I'd left the car.' I think you need a comma after 'away' since it's a compound sentence.

'I hoped the twins would be together but they weren't.' I think you need a comma after 'together' since it's a compound sentence.

'... but it certainly suited Carol's (needs) for privacy.' I think need should be singular.

Yes, I had a rude awakening when serving on an administrative board within the church. People are people. Thanks for sharing, Beth.

 Comment Written 18-Jul-2023


reply by the author on 20-Jul-2023
    Thank you so much Faith. You are so helpful in picking up thing I've missed in the editing. I really appreciate it.
    Beth
Comment from Pam Lonsdale
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I can't imagine dealing with four children - two was often challenging for me, so you can be forgiven losing your kids from time to time:-) I lost my daughter in a K-Mart once and was convinced she had been abducted - until I found her 10 minutes later!

What are krewes and doubloons? You might include that in the author's notes.

Change "Even" to "Evan"

"Inclosing" is "enclosing"


 Comment Written 18-Jul-2023


reply by the author on 18-Jul-2023
    Thank you, Pam. I added the definition for krewe and doubloon as you suggested. I had enclosing and the word program changed it to inclosing. I'll change it back. Krewe is a parading club usually with the name of Greek god.
    Doubloons are Mardi Gras throws that look like large coins the usually colored aluminum and have the krewe name and date on them. They are collector items The picture a doubloon collection.
Comment from Brett Matthew West
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Not much of anything else like Mardi Gras.

Seeing Henry Winkler, the Fonz, must have been a thrill.

The French Quarter can be risky at any time. Good he retrieved his wallet.

"possible larger" should be possibly larger.

"Even gave" should be Evan gave.

Losing Connie like that time you two went alone together not good.

 Comment Written 18-Jul-2023


reply by the author on 19-Jul-2023
    Thank you for reading and for your commnts. We saw several stars at the parades. Barbara Eden from I Dream of Jeannie was one of them.
    Beth
Comment from Anne Johnston
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That sounds like a very interesting time in your life. I especially enjoyed the stories of losing a child. I remember a little girl that I baby sat for awhile, who loved to wander away in a store. She just thought it was special to hear her name called out over the intercom.

 Comment Written 18-Jul-2023


reply by the author on 19-Jul-2023
    Thank you, Anne. That is funny about the child trying to lose herself so they would call out her name on the intercome.
    Beth
Comment from Wendy G
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Losing a child even just temporarily is one of the most scary experiences one can have! Forgetting one is more common than one would think! Not that that makes it any easier to cope with. I am enjoying your stories and you write them well!
Wendy
Typo: Even gave me a blank look and said, "I thought she was with you." (Evan)

 Comment Written 18-Jul-2023


reply by the author on 19-Jul-2023
    Thank you Wendy. I've found out from the reviewer that forgetting a child or have one get lost for a short time isn't that uncommon.
    Beth
Comment from Spitfire
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Good for Wayne having courage enough to chase the pickpocket. Seems it was more than one time you faced a mother's worst fear: missing a daughter or son. Seems the good Lord was watching after them. I, too, forgot my son at four years old at K-Marts. I drove back to get him.. He was ready to start walking the highway to home four miles away. I liked that Carol got her own room. Carol is like my 18 year-old granddaughter who shuts herself in her room all day!

 Comment Written 17-Jul-2023


reply by the author on 19-Jul-2023
    Thank you for a great review. I was relieved to see that there was more than one mother who lost there children from time to time. It really isn't safe to take you eyes off them but like you say the good Lord looks after us.
    Beth