I can’t stop thinking of Beverly. I got all these awful things going on that I should pay attention to but… Beverly. Mao Zedong was responsible for the deaths of fifty million Chinese. Stalin – ditto the deaths of millions of Russians, and I’m thinking of Beverly. I haven’t seen or heard of her in almost forty years.

Chang Kai Chek killed most of Formosa; Pakistan and India have their nukes aimed at each others throats, and I’m remembering my first kiss at the Majestic Theater as we sat in the third row and held hands. Is this a character flaw or what?

Edi Amin killed folks for nothing, for fun. Somalians are being murdered, swatted like flies - and with the government’s approval. Condasleeza checked it out and did nothing. Honduras and Nicaragua are becoming deserts; Mexico’s flooding, Hutu’s in the Congo are dying like sunsets, fanatical Moslems are planning to kill more of us, and I’m wondering - so how’s Beverly doing? I’m afraid my hubris is going to catch up with me.

Hurricanes are ripping away the homes and lives of Americans in our worst disaster, and I’m asking, “Where’s my little tap-dancer?”

I’m overburdened with tragedy, so I’m just thinking of Beverly.