While
nursing a cold the past few days, I perused my Kindle to see what I hadn’t read
yet and “ The Angel of Esperanca”, came up on my carousel. I had seen a news item in the most
recent college alumni magazine about a classmate, Judith McConnell Steele, who just
published this - her first novel. I knew
her as Judy McConnell and remember her because of her hair. She had a short, layered, thick brown
hair that fell into place stylishly around her narrow face. I wanted hair just
like hers.
The
first sentence of her book drew me to the mystical tale set in the rural town
of Esperanca in northeast Brazil. It is a sad story of love and loss but with
lush descriptions of setting in which she takes you right to this foreign place
and awakens your senses as you read.
Now and then when I would put the book down, I found myself thinking of Judy,
the fellow English major from Denver with the cute haircut. I kept trying to
reconcile the author of this exotic novel with the carefree girl I remember in
college. As juniors we traveled on a semester abroad to England and may have even
shared a flat together with a few other girls near Marble Arch in London. I have pictures of us standing in
Trafalgar Square surrounded by pigeons.
Judy is wearing a white knit hat just covering her perky hairdo. It’s only been 48 years since I’ve
thought of this so it’s hard to remember for sure.
When
I finished the book I sat on my sofa a bit stunned. My first impulse was to tell Judy that I had just read her book
and was impressed with what an accomplished writer she is. Having no idea how to reach her I magically “googled” her
name. Her Facebook page popped up. Feeling a bit like an adoring fan, I found
myself divulging way too much in the box that said “A Note to the Author”. ”
I’m not sure you remember me but I was your Cornell College classmate who grew
up in South America and lived in Brazil during high school. We were English
majors and lived in Rood House our senior year. I like to write too, especially
nonfiction essays and memoir.” I hit “submit” and before exiting wondered if she
would read it and if it all sounded silly. Then I took a long time to look at the photo on her
Facebook page. Yes, she still has beautiful thick short hair only it’s a
different color now that she’s in her 60’s. She reminds me a bit of Diane Keaton with stylish horn rimmed
glasses and auburn hair. I decided
that she looks like she belongs on the cover of a published novel.
Within
minutes of walking away from my laptop I had a reply…as if she was waiting to
hear from me all these years later.
Of course, she remembered me she wrote, “ I wanted to tell you that I
still have a beautiful little set of demitasse spoons that you gave me for a
wedding present – they have little coffee beans on the top and I use them all
the time! “ She continued,” I wasn’t the one who decided my first marriage was
ending, but I got to have anything I wanted. So, out with the wedding pictures, and in with the cherished
demitasse spoons! (And a wonderful second marriage now going on 38 years.)”
Demitasse
spoons? Only my mother had those
years ago for dinner parties in South America where drinking a cafecito or
cafezinho (in Brazil) was the custom after a meal. Now those spoons were put away unused and unpolished in a
drawer somewhere in my house.. I
had no recollection of Judy’s first wedding nor of having given her demitasse spoons. But the coffee beans were a
clue that I must have bought them in Bogota, Colombia where my parents were
living while I was in college.
Perhaps I didn’t go to the wedding and I
simply gave a gift. I don’t even
remember husband #1 who was obviously a classmate of ours. After mulling this
over for a day I still come up a blank and I don’t quite have the courage to
ask more questions. Part of me thinks I should remember this...but I don't
I am
still thinking of our surprise encounter on the web and how it is possible to find
people in our past and connect the long forgotten dots in our lives. Going back for yet another look at Judy's
Facebook page I couldn’t help but notice a post by Michelle who wrote, “For years I've wanted to have Judy's hair. Still
do! Lovely…”
I wanted to answer the post “Me, too!” But I didn’t.
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