Sad Monday

Dearest Ms. Mac,

Today I am stunned by the news of the death of Karyn, a childhood friend. Look closely at the three little girls on the right of the front row of our school photo, 1974.


We look like mini Charlie’s Angels, don’t we? We were nine years old.

Karyn is the pretty, laughing blonde girl, sitting between my best friend Sonia and myself. She is also the cool one, as she is wearing trainers, whereas Sonia and I are wearing socks with sandals - AAARGH! (At least my socks were pulled up straight!)



Sonia, Karyn, Helen. We even lived in that order in the same street. Sonia at number 78, Karyn at 101 and myself at 161. Karyn’s Mum was our teacher, one of the best at our primary school. I always wondered how strange it must be to have your mum as your teacher! My favourite topic we studied that year was The Middle Ages. She taught us all about serfs, the feudal system, lords and ladies, crop rotation, mulled wine and the bubonic plague. Great stuff!

Karyn’s house was a pretty wooden two-storied bungalow, painted yellow, with a beautiful flower garden. There were three large windows across the top façade: the three bedrooms for herself and her older sisters. She was the baby of the family.

Karyn’s garden had a lemon tree and she introduced us to the craze of eating the thick, waxy peel of young, fresh lemons! It was surprisingly tasty. We placed skipping ropes around our necks and under our arms to make reins for the game of Horsie at playtime. We walked together down the road to school and back, with bare feet skipping and sticking in the pungent melting tar on hot days, and blowing on our fingers to keep them warm on frosty days.

I will write to her mother tonight to tell her I especially remember Karyn’s incredibly smiley smile, musical voice and sense of fun. It won't be easy.

Sad kisses,

Antipo
xxxx