The Story of Beth

29 movies in a week. That's the girl's count thus far. She figures by the time she's fully mobile she'll be up to 100 at the very minimum. I know she's bored out of her mind. Shhhh, so am I. At least she's doing something productive with her time. She's designing and creating bracelets made out of thread. They look really pretty.



With each one she's getting more creative, her twists tighter and her patterns are becoming more intricate. Watching her work so intently she reminded me of a girl I knew a long time ago so I related the story of Beth to her, as I remember it.

I met Beth when I was working as an assistant to the president of a communications company in New York City in the early 80's. She took my job when I moved to a position in production. Beth always wore these beautiful knitted sweaters and purses -- satin ribbons, crystals and other types of ornaments were worked through them. One day when I remarked to her how beautiful they were she told me she made them herself. I was shocked. She didn't seem the type at all. I had always thought she was just one of those Jewish American Princesses who would think knitting was "beneath" them. She then told me how she came to design such beautiful works.

A couple of years earlier as she was crossing a busy midtown street Beth was struck by a bus. Both of her legs were broken. For months she couldn't walk. She told me how her father used to have to carry her to even go to the bathroom. She loved him so much for doing that and felt so helpless he had to. She spent most of her time resting in bed. At first she was beside herself. There was no internet during those days, and probably not even cable, so she didn't have much to amuse herself with. She decided she would teach herself how to knit.

She got some books, yarn and needles and went to work. At first she made some mistakes but as the months passed by she got better and better. People loved her work and began to request her talents. She enjoyed what she had taught herself and began to even make some money off of it. Eventually she became so good at her craft a couple of boutiques in Manhattan began to carry her designs. I'll never forget this woman, who came from a very rich family, saying how having her legs broken might have been the best thing that ever happened to her. She took a bad situation and turned it around. Even after her legs healed and left her with a slight limp she never felt sorry for herself and never stopped knitting. I didn't feel sorry for her, I felt sorry for myself for I had totally misjudged her. I looked at her with a newfound respect and understanding after she told me her tale.

After I told my daughter this story she asked me if I had kept in contact with Beth. "No, I haven't." "Too bad." "Why?" "Maybe if she became really famous and had her own boutique I could get her to sell my bracelets." That's my girl...