Photoessay #1529 - Eleanor

My friend JJ writes:

Sounds like the time was finally right for you to meet Eleanor - and not a day earlier or later. at the right time, the right teacher appears!

Though I had not heard of her before, tiny 91 year old Eleanor is well-known locally and nationally as an advocate for families with mentally ill members. She founded WAMI *Washington Advocates for the Mentally Ill" and confounded the national organization.

Eleanor has lived here since 1955, I've lived here since 1979. Apparently everybody knows Eleanor but I was unaware.

Recently, I participated in the Writing on the Sound writer's conference locally in Edmonds. I signed up for the Friday Non-fiction workshop limited to 7 people where we would spend the afternoon critiquing each other's writing. Made all the difference because I had buddies for the rest of the conference. Eleanor and I were both there. We had not met previously. Soon after I arrived, we immediately started a lively discussion of the concept of truth in memoir.

I had been very impressed with piece she wrote about some hobos in her girlhood. I kept reading it over and over. What makes this so good? I wondered

I had submitted the piece about my husband's grandmother Ruth and her encephalitis induced parkinsonism and psychosis. But there was a question bugging me, a matter which I did not discuss, a suspicion I had, not sure how to deal with it.

When it was time for my piece, Eleanor spoke right up.

"I think Ruth was mentally ill before the encephalitis, in addition to the damage caused by that endemic encephalitis."

Astounded, I said, "Yes, I'm beginning to think that too. I'm amazed you picked up on it!" Had she read my mind?? How did she know that? Later she told me that she thought Ruth was schizophrenic and I should be more aggressive getting the records from Napa State hospital.

Later in the week, I attended the last class of Memoir 2.0 taught by Theo Nestor who was my memoir teacher in the year long course at the University of Washington. (see yesterday). Also a very small class, maybe 7 people?

I had posed the question by email a few days before about what to do when an unexpected puzzle piece shows up in your story. I mentioned an older woman who had given me some insight.

We were workshopping another student's piece concerning mental illness. Theo said "Have you talked with Eleanor about this?" The other student hadn't but said she would.

Wait, wait, Eleanor?? The same Eleanor??

"Yes, Eleanor was my student," says Theo. "When you wrote about an older woman, I knew you were referring to Eleanor."

Another one of the students piped up, "Yes, I just attended Eleanor's 91st birthday party."

I'm stunned, this same Eleanor who had give me the hint about my own story? Apparently everybody knows Eleanor. Now I know Eleanor. I had heard about WAMI before but never knew about Eleanor. Why now?

Maybe JJ has the answer.

A really nice article run recently in the Seattle Times about Eleanor Owen. I'm including the picture from that piece, used without permission.