The Imagination Will Set You Free
I had a patient who was confined to home her entire adult life. Before the Internet she had a good life and many friends from all over the County, but after the Internet came in, she extended her connections around the world. She could describe Australia better than many people who had been there.
She was an early book editor for me and even inspired the character Mason Marley. I would send her chapters by e-mail and she would read them and send back suggestions. She once told me the installments reminded her of the eager anticipation of the “Saturday Evening Post’ as a child.
She especially loved to help embellish Mason Marley. “Oh, have her smoke a cigar here, Bibey.”
“C’mon Mason, you don’t smoke.”
“I can’t in real life ’cause of my lungs but I can in fiction.”
She wrote a book herself and had a lot of good advice on agents, editors, and lawyers that I follow to this day. My only regret is the process is so long. I would have given anything to be able to hand her a signed copy.
I used to ask her about confidentiality. “You know, as your doc, I’m supposed to protect your privacy. I worry a little about this. I’m afraid people will figure out who you are, or least who inspired the character.”
“Oh Bibey, you are such a silly boy. I hope you tell the whole world.”
When I finally get around to that, I’m gonna tell you about her book too. She was one of the most special human beings I’ve ever known. She knew the imagination had no limits to unlock a life of grace and dignity. She showed me how every time I visited her.
Before she died I had not only permission but her encouragement to tell her story. Mason understood with literature we can have a bit of immortality, and she cheered me on towards the finish line at every visit. When I get there, much of the credit is to her.
Dr. B
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Dr. Tom Bibey: Stories of the Bluegrass Music Road 
September 26, 2009 at 7:29 am
Dr. B.
Sounds like you lost a good and true friend.
Imagination can truly take you to places you might never go in actuality. My guage for a good book is the degree of my “willing suspension of disbelief”. If I can “picture” it in my mind. Maybe even insinuate myself into the book…then it wins my seal of approval.
I usually know within the first few paragraphs if the book will “hold” me to the end.
September 26, 2009 at 7:36 am
Ms. Cindy,
She might well be the most inspiring human being I ever knew. She had almost no physical ability, yet commanded the respect of everyone from the most humble to N.C. State Senators.
Dr. B
September 27, 2009 at 3:11 am
Hi Dr B…to meet characters such as Mason is one of life’s true joys. They teach us a lot about how to live life to the full in every way and the best we can do in return is to keep them in our hearts forever…
September 27, 2009 at 5:50 am
waggledance,
Mason and Indie were my two favorites in the story. Sometimes I think they had some kinda secret code where they talked back and forth to each other.
I can’t wait for my friends to know more about them. I hate the process is so slow but I am meeting with some publishers this wwek and also some next month, so it will get there.
You are right. They were so special I was compelled to immortalize them.
Dr. B