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Writers, Therapists, Singers, Composers, Artists

This piece is fascinating to me because it shows a type of overlapping of thoughts that are connected one leading to the next and then back to the beginning. This is one of the rare moments where she switches to German mid-sentence. I do not speak German so translation was done through various internet search methods. The underlined portion is presumably the same German word but I can't make out the letters. From context clues I think the word means up or in or possibly both somehow. The italicized words are what I assume to be a name however Esters T's, F's, G's, J's, and sometimes, I's look the same or near indistinguishable unless there's another to compare it to. Perhaps a reader can decipher this name?

When I went up the Three Otter Rd in Bedford the other day, I thought of Dr. J in W., D.C. he liked the classic 'Three Men in a Boat.'

I liked his humor and to-the-point approach.

Around the corner where he had his office, steht ___ Dinigent ___ Ferister Ibin Mehtc (sp?) getting ready for the Trio.

Wonderful views from the top of Three Otter Rd.

The Oscars:

The man from Italy captured my heart and ears.

He scorred a success.

His wife Maria had Albrecht Durer's Praying Hands.

She talks about a Dr. J who I have come to believe was at one time her therapist. From what I can tell the next line says that around the corner from his office there was a maestro practicing up in a window. I can't tell who this is or what Trio he was preparing for. The next set of text was on the smaller piece of paper and seems to be somewhat unrelated to the other page though they were left together. The composer she's speaking of is, from what I can tell, Ennio Morricone. He does have a wife named Maria. It is interesting that she says he has Durer's Praying Hands. I'm not sure what she means by this exactly but I do remember Talking about Albrect Durer in Art History. What I particularly remember was his self portrait with him wearing a fur on which he rests his hand which is almost a focal point of the picture. The prof used this painting to say that artist often include their hands in self portraits since they're so important to their craft. The work that she's referring to is probably the Apostles Hands his most recognizable work to the general public which is often referred to as The Praying Hands.

Last week I introduced you to Esters love of Matisse, one of reoccurring themes. This week the French artist is mentioned again for a parallel in his art and the decor of her friends home. On the back of this post card is written:

Matisse painted a Red Room

Mr. + Mrs. B. , had a red living room, 

white curtains and the 

bricks of their fire place 

are blue. 

DAV

This job-talking man near me

looks like the Bizzare (sp?) Food

Explorer.

I watched him last night.

Very interesting, seeing people

thru what they eat. 

She frequently writes about people she knows and uses just initials as though to hide their identity. This is one of the things that tells me that she writes these things for general viewing of other. Why would she think anyone would be interested in the decoration choices of anonymous strangers? She makes no value judgments on the fact that the room is red the curtains white and the bricks blue, they just are as such. I frequently find myself less interested in the content of her notes so much as the motivation behind leaving them. 

The most interesting thing about this item however is very small. I overlooked it at first- not even seeing it. There is a sort of correction made to the title of the photo displayed on the post card. "THE KATZES (WITH MOE AT CENTER). 1981. PHOTOGRAPH BY TERRY DEROY GRUBER" However, she has struck out the "S" and written below it "R" changing the word to "Katzer" This changes the word from the German word for cat to a surname. 

Why?

Maybe it's a clue. 

Lives Lived Artfully

If there are two things Ester loves it's travel and art. If there's a third thing it would have to be PBS programing. 

She has left several clippings related to Matisse and numerous art magazines open to articles about him or about artists who draw inspiration from him. I myself find art very interesting. 

On this clipping she has written:

A conversation

between Charlie Rose 

+ Peter O'Toole:

Venus,

Flesh becomes word

I am always over-

whelmed by POT <- mastery of the word

I'm not sure what her comments have to do with The Joy of Life by Matisse. The reverse side has a portion of an article about sculptures with one underlined: Standing Youth by Wilhelm Lehmbruck. In an attempt to understand her notes, to make some connection between even her own comments I watched the interview with Peter O'Toole. O'Toole is a splendid old man; I love his attitude about life and the things that have happened to him.  At the end of the interview Charlie Rose asks O'Toole about his epitaph which he got from a note pinned to his dry cleaning it said: "It distresses us to return work which is not perfect." I always appreciate humor in areas which are usually wrought with sadness. 

I think POT refers to Peter O'Toole however if anyone thinks it stands for something else please feel free to leave a comment about it. 

This is one of my favorite items Ester has left. It’s an envelope on which she has covered all available area with writing and inside is a button, needle, and spool of thread. As will be the case I will provide the content of her notes as clearly as I can make them out.

[front of envelope]
Until last night, I did not know, that diamonds can sing: Sessel. She made me homesick for Maria Laach, wear _______, Deutschland. What a voice! What presentation! We, my friends Christe and I would visit Maria L almost every time, when I was in Jermany. Da dib les eiman Lowenlot, …




[back of envelope]
He and the other 2 tenors gave a concert in front of the Koblerer Slbob many years ago. As far as I remember, Ulla (?) and her mother in law Astersein went to that concert. Behinol the Schlob is a precious monument of Vata Rhiem and Muth Mosel Lovely. Oue of the place I visit o….




[inner flap]
I felt Jose C needed needle and thread, in case he wants to fasten his jacket button.


This is one of my favorite items because not only is it a thing but she reveals why she’s leaving that thing. Jose C needs a new button. I don’t know who Jose C is or why she might leave him a button and thread at my café but there seem to be more of a directive purpose behind this item. She also lapses into German here, which has become rare in the last year for some reason. As you’ll see in some future notes she also occasionally uses French.

Paper trails

Over the last two and a half years I have been collecting items left by one of my café regulars. I had noticed that the woman left what looked to be a shopping list on the table. I retrieved it and brought it to a coworker who seemed to be on friendly terms with the woman (we will call Ester from now on). My coworker informed me that this was a common thing for Ester to do and she never asked about the items or wanted them back. They were being discarded, thrown out with the trash.

I found this to be very disconcerting and at first I didn’t know why. What should I care if an old German woman wanted to leave scraps of things behind to be thrown away? I threw them away a few times always feeling very much like that was wrong, almost disrespectful to do. I determined it was because this woman must be trying to say something. I don’t know what or to whom but this habit of hers seems to be a form of communication and it’s rude to ignore people even if they don’t make any sense.

The above is a photo of most of what I’ve gathered since I decided that I would listen to this woman, two and a half years ago. I grouped them according to the typical items she leaves. Most frequently left are thoughts and notes scratched on napkins followed by note pages with much the same content. Post cards and torn magazine or book pages are rare but not as rare as actual things. She tends to favor certain items for a while leaving several receipts from various establishments in a week. More frequent than any of these she leaves magazines laid out on the table open to pages with a sense of purpose that I have yet to discover. For a time much to the consternation of my managers she would write along the borders of magazines. Unfortunately those were all thrown away.

Over time the items have become disorganized in regard to chronology. I will try and present them close to the order I found them but some I am eager to talk about so they will be bumped up in time because I am impatient sometimes

This blog is soon to be a place where I log and comment on the notes and items left behind by a regular customer in my cafe.

These notes and items are never addressed to anyone though they often make reference to people. They are never picked up, asked about, or mentioned by the leaver. It is a wholly peculiar and unusual behavior that I have found most interesting over the years.

Should the need arise names or places may be changes to insure the anonymity of the person who leaves the notes as well as the cafe where she leaves them. Though it would be interesting to know if there are other places where she leaves things.