My Tribute to Molly Ivins

(Posted at the Texas Observer, her "home" paper)

I envy all you people in Texas. No, really, I do. You got to know Molly for many years, while I only discovered her when I read "Shrub" for the first time in 2000.

It's funny -- words were Molly's stock in trade, and are supposedly mine as well, and yet at this moment words don't seem adequate. We all know Molly was insightful, and incisive, and vibrant, and caring; that she was able to carve right to the core of an issue in just a few strokes of her pen, and still do it with a twinkle in her eye; that she was often angry, but never hateful. But we could go on and on, saying more and more, and it wouldn't be enough. The force of Molly's life was greater, even, than all her words.

So, instead of longer and longer collections of words, here are three short sentences to say how I feel:

• But ... I wasn't done reading.
• I miss you already.
• Thank you for the light.

Bruce Maples, Louisville, KY