Today at work I was talking to my boss and we discussed a project called Martha's Recovery. When I said the title he broke into a grin and said 'ah, there is the new england accent". I guess I said mahtha with that Boston twang.
It made me think about Jim and his chameleon like voice. He was great at picking up speech styles and echoing them. Usually without even realizing it. I noticed it time and again over the years.
I first noticed it shortly after we were married and he had an employee with a bit of an indian accent. A couple weeks later it started to creep in after he worked with him. It made me smile and I would point it out to him. He would get the Baltimore shade to his words when he hung out with his best friend John down in Hampden. The tradition "warsh the dishes in the zinc" and all that. When we moved up to Boston he picked the up the accent there quickly.
He was great with impersonations and could tone his voice to match actors and friends. I enjoyed listening to him go thru this when he was reading for a part in a play. His Hannibal Lector's "Clarice..." gives me chills even now and his Pee Wee Herman was right on the money, down to the silly laughter.
Just something I didn't want to forget about Jim and in remembering, it is a memory saved.
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I love this post - when you typed out how you'd say Mahtha, I had to voice it out loud a few times....so cool to me! Being from Oregon.....well, not to much excitement in the accent department.
Oh well.
You know, looking at the picture of Jim at the right - I can picture him being able to do great impersonations - don't know why, maybe it's just that he has that look (likeable, funny....)!
btw; it's a great photo....
Blessings ~
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