Genevieve (Gene) Madeline Burt Heenan Spain, 1932-2006.
Larger than life, not close to normal, loveable but not always likeable, inspiration for stories I will dine out on for the rest of my life. Never wanted kids but more or less figured out mothering by the time I was grown.
It's your day, Ma. Whether you're up, down, or somewhere in between, I hope you find someone to torment.
She's been on my mind lately because - well, because mothers - but also because her turn is finally coming as a "face" on one of my book covers. I'll share the final result here when I have it, but this is the photo I'm working from. She was about 21 at that point, the same age as my main character, and she was just as "too much" as you would think by looking at that photo.
I'm always reminded of Judy Garland's character in Meet Me in St. Louis, who, when told by her sister that kissing boys would rob her of her bloom, said, "Personally, I think I have too much bloom."
2 comments:
It's complicated, isn't it?
Truer words were never spoken. Mothers, eh?
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