ME and Ophelia

MY DEAR OLD FRIEND IRIS NIEDRA
Emails from Iris' Niece

Last night, the happy sound of ping, ping signalled the arrival of two emails at once. Yippee. I was expecting news from friends about stuff I had emailed in the day.

Two subject titles SIX FEET HIGH leapt out of the screen at me, like a bullet hitting me straight between the eyes:

Sent: Tuesday, November 11, 2003 6:52 PM
Subject: New comment posted to your blog from Rachel
Comment: Hi. I found your blogspot. I'm the niece of Iris. I'd like to speak to you. Email me when you have time.

Sent: Tuesday, November 11, 2003 7:08 PM
Subject: From Iris' Niece

Hi Ingrid:
I was doing some websearching and came across your Blogspot. I am Iris' niece Rachel.
I called my mom and then sent her a link to your website.
All the best,
Rachel

Here's what I emailed straight back:

Dear Rachel

What a shock. I saw the subject heading of your two emails in my Inbox and started crying before I even opened them.

Thank you very much for your clever searching. I was hoping that one day somebody would find it so that Iris' memory lives on.

You will have read in my blog how I found out that Iris had died. It was an awful shock. To me Iris was invincible.

It never occurred to me that she would die so young. And, of all the people I have known in my life, she is the only one I wish to visit me here.

She would have loved it here by the seaside. And she would have adored my cat Ophelia.

I did everything I could to find you. I telephoned all of your surnames in your area of America. Spent hours on the phone, with directory enquiries and internet telephone and address searches trying to reach any of the names mentioned in Iris' Obituary. Nothing. No leads at all. I had to give up.

It was a beautiful Obituary - she would have been proud.

Even today I was thinking of Iris. There are still so many things in daily life which remind me of her. Like the White Linen body lotion from Estee Lauder which I used today. Iris introduced me to it and the scent reminds me of her.

To me she was a sister I have lost. It has taken the past four months for the shock to subside. But the tears are coming again. Must stop for now.

Please do tell me about yourself and your family and how you are all getting on. I realise it was over seven years ago since Iris died. But to me it was only four months ago. I am still grieving.

With all good wishes. And, once again, thank you for contacting me.

Ingrid Jones