Ten-Finger Exercises

People I wish I knew

In my pocket of friends, I frequently wish I could reach in and pull out someone with a particular talent. They wouldn't have to be friends even; just acquaintances would do. Part of my network, I guess a modern person would say.

I wish I had on hand the phone number of at least one person who majored in home economics, or at least an excellent cook. There's such a thing as a master gardner, and that's a handy sould to know. I know a few. But is there a master cook? Someone who could tell you what to do if it's time for dinner and you realized you didn't have any cornstarch to thicken the stock for chop suey, or whether the cross rib steaks that were on sale that day should be braised or barbecued. Or what to do when the sauce hasn't thickened. Or how long to wait before the cheesecake sets up before deciding it should have been cooked longer.

I also wish I knew a cartoonist. Sometimes I have ideas I wish I could put out there, but not without some skills I haven't found yet.

Today, as I was passing the feed and tack store on the way to work, the readerboard was advertising "Horse Blanket Closeout Sale." I'd like to see a few nags hoofing through the table of blankets, with comments like, " I had my hoof on that first!" and "I don't think that buffalo plaid will be very, uh, flattering, if you know what I mean," and "Doesn't it seem to you these sizes are running awfully small?"

A mechanic would be a good friend to have as well-- one who understands the noises my various machines make and can spot a serious sound in my description. Wow, that would have to be one very intuitive mechanic!

I'd also like to know one of those women who have places for everything and everything in their places, so I could find out how to do it. Either that or some friends who would like to have a kitchen drawer scavenger hunt. Now wouldn't that be fun?