David Sedaris in the Feltus Family Odyssey

I'm going to go a little post-modern this week. Just as David's writing is frequently commentary on his family, this posting is notable for the commentary on my family. Personally, it marks a low point in my own personal intellectual journey. Not only have I forsaken books, I get the CD that is the single disk "greatest hits" rather than the 3 - 4 disk version of his unabridged novels.

Me, Liz and Josie get in the mini-van to pick up Maddy and head to a birthday party. We swing by the library to return stuff and pick up anything on hold (park in the fire lane and run in). While waiting in line, I see a CD by David Sedaris. The name is vaguely associated with quality writing so I pick up and figure it'll give us something to listen to on our drive. Liz's comment is "I hear he has a foul mouth so we can't listen around Maddy" (but Josie is okay).

The CD is series of readings at Carnegie Hall. It starts off with a visit to his sister, a rant about NPR, a spat with his boyfriend (more of a bickering) , some "lessons" and story on santa claus in the Netherlands plus a short q and a.

This is all good. Very entertaining. But Josie loves it. She giggles, guffaws and roars -at the right parts too. You can hear her giggling as each bit winds to the end where she explodes. You have not lived until you've seen an eighteen month old bent over laughing silently while clapping in a car seat.

Maddy likes it too,but doesn't quite get it like Josie does. She'll laugh, repeat the line and declare it is so funny. Laugh " 'a brisk" (sp?) that is so funny papa" or laugh " " 'pee and do other things at the same time' that is so funny papa."

On the ride back from the party, the CD emerged from entertaining to superlative on "six to eight black men." This is his description of blind hunters in America and Christmas tradition. Basically, they have Saint Nicholas who is an ex-Turkish bishop who either delivers toys or beats and kidnaps children depending on their behavior with his six to eight black men (formerly slaves, now represented as friends, all living happily in Ibiza or somewhere in Spain). Of course, it is all PC-ed up now. Maddy enjoyed this bit but at first Josie was a little put off. But by the end, David has gotten his littlest fan back cackling away.

It was a little after three and none of us had had lunch so we were all a little hungry. I asked Maddy if she wanted to go out to dinner, one of her favorite activities. "No, I don't want to, Papa." Do you want out for lunch? "Yeah, that would be great." Where do you want to go to dinner. "No Papa ! I want to go to lunch. At the place with the giant chile pepper on the roof." And so off to Chile's we went.