I keep trying to learn how to do links in this page, and I keep getting fouled up.
So, I will post a web address (not a link), and hope that you can get to it by cutting and pasting. Here it is:
http://www.knbc.com/news/8471699/detail.html?subid=10101581
Or, you can go to knbc.com and put "mavis Coyle" into the search engine. It will pull up a video of my Mentor in Life, Mavis. Oops, since she's an old female, I shall have to call her my Mentrix, in order to distinguish her from my Mentor.
You can watch the video and tell me what you think.
I went to see my Mentrix on Saturday, the day after I had learned that someone at Gakkai Central thinks I owe apologies to Soka Gakkai Presidents Makiguchi and Toda (both deceased).
It was one of those fabulous days, where everything goes click, click, click, just right. Everything scooting along perfectly. What the Gakkai calls "being in rhythm". We had a talk and did some chores and went out for fish and chips for lunch.
At one point, while we were sitting outside Mavis' trailer, she could tell that I was disturbed. She asked me what was wrong, and I told her - it's the church....I read a book by a professor of Japanese religions and I expressed an opinion that I got after reading that book, and now....well....they want me to apologize to dead people.
Mavis looked puzzled.
Dead people?
Yes. Dead people who held different opinions from the professor and me. They think I should apologize to dead people.
Mavis threw her head back, and peal upon peal of laughter just shot out from her throat, her chest, her belly. And I joined her.
Wow, what a relief. My mentrix - I just love her.
Laughingly yours, Byrd in LA
Oh Byrd, I love Mavis! All of us need someone
like her to keep us "real".
I haven't commented on the apology thing seeing that I'm not in SGI but Mavis, bless her, has the
right perspective (if you want my opinion). Just
another good reason for a belly laugh. Better that
than get angry because it is ridiculous.
Thanks for sharing that video. Tell Mavis she's
my hero for standing up to that quick crosswalk fine and to apology nonsense! Patty
Hi Byrd,
Thanks for posting the video. I'm so glad that Mavis is fighting this thing. Good for her!
And it was nice to see Mavis after hearing so much about her. What a great lady!
Posted by: Michele at April 8, 2008 04:10 PMHi, Byrd -
Mavis is in Lynda's and my prayers.
Did she have a son named Jim? If she did and you see him, please let him know we remember him.
Namaste, Engyo Mike Barrett
Posted by: Engyo Mike Barrett at April 8, 2008 04:27 PMHi, Mike - Yep - good ol' Jim Coyle a long drink of water who sells cars and likes cowboy books. I gave him season one of "Gunsmoke" for Christmas, and that was the last I saw of him for awhile - Marshall Dillon and Miss Kitty got the better of him!
I'll say "Hey" to Jim for you when I see him, if you like.
Glad you all got a kick out of Mavis - she really is such a character, I love to hang out with her.
Best, Byrd in LA
Posted by: Byrd in LA at April 8, 2008 06:07 PMI keep imagining the scene from the movie "The Sixth Sense," but with you saying, "I...apologize...to....dead....people...." as the vaporous ghosts of Presidents Toda and Makiguchi materialize in front of you. Joe Isuzu, if you're reading this, please...we need one of your fabulous parodies on "The Sixth Sense."
Posted by: Lynn S. at April 8, 2008 08:16 PMHi again, Byrd -
Yes, please do say Hey to Jim. Tell him Lynda and I are very sorry to hear of his mom's passing, and that he is remembered.
Namaste, Engyo Mike Barrett
Posted by: Engyo Mike Barrett at April 9, 2008 07:09 AMOops -
Byrd (and Jim indirectly) -
My sincere apologies - I may have confused Mavis and Barbara Pike in my mind. I'm sincerely hoping Mavis hasn't passed - I was just a bit confused there for a while. It's these 90 hour work weeks.......
Namaste, Engyo Mike Barrett
Posted by: Engyo Mike Barrett at April 9, 2008 07:59 AMI remember hearing about this case in the news. Is it resolved? What happened?
ch
Well, what happened to Mavis is that she started getting so much press attention that she fled the State of California and went on the lam to Colorado. She submitted what's called a "trial by declaration" to the court, and she was found guilty but her sentence (the fine) was suspended. The judge "split the baby" so to speak.
I have been working on a sort of screwball comedy screenplay about it for a year or so. I do a few pages and then set it aside. Mavis has been cited repeatedly by the AARP magazine as an example of an activist pedestrian, which she is.
When people ask me about my Mentor in Life, I refer them to the KNBC clip which I gave here. It's a pretty good piece about her. Real "stand alone spirit", that's my Mavis.
Thanks for asking, Clown....
Wahzoh
Posted by: Byrd in LA at April 10, 2008 01:06 PM