On This Most Auspicious Day...

My sister has given me a gift. At the time of its publication, were I capable of reading-- capable of anything more than soiling my diaper and crying to be fed --this is what I could have bought at the newsstand for a mere sixty cents. So how much is a copy of Esquire today? Six, seven dollars? I don't think I've ever bought an issue myself.

What's most interesting about this issue is how little things have changed in forty-six years. On page seventy-nine is an article by Dan Wakefield entitled, Good-bye New York... There could be an X where once there was an island, a look at the western fear of Soviet Russia and the growing threat of nuclear annihilation. Another interesting note comes from the cover of this issue promoting an article on page forty-five by Eleanor Roosevelt, Reflections on the Next President.

"This man will be confronted by graver issues than have ever faced a Chief Executive. Because the sands are running out, most of these basic issues must be solved within a frighteningly short time, so we must weigh carefully the capacity and the record of the man who is to shoulder that great responsibility. For the kind of solution he decides upon may well affect our future well-being as a nation."

Do you think she had an inkling of who would win the race?

Looking at the photos and the ads it's easy to see how much has changed since the month and year I entered the world. Reading the words and sentiments between the photos and ads, especially Mrs. Roosevelt's sentiments, I see how little things have really changed.

The magazine is a nice gift, and completely unexpected. My sister is like me in this respect; her idea of giving is not like most people we know, in that gifts should have meaning, and wherever possible, a handmade gift has far more lasting value. Despite her surprising thoughtfulness-- gifts are a rarity between us siblings --I doubt my sister took much note of what was on the cover, or its contents, beside the month and year. But that's okay; the gift is deeply appreciated.

Happy Birthday to me.