An incredible grace

Dear Kim and Adam,

I just wanted to let you know that I've been thinking about your mom ever since I got Kim's text yesterday.

She was such an important part of my family's life. Heck, my parents might have had to hire somebody to look after me, if I hadn't been at your house after school every afternoon.

I thought of your apartment as my second home, and your mom was a big part of that. She was a remarkable person: tremendously kind but never gooey about it, strict but not in an ugly way, incredibly generous and SO funny. I can still remember her laugh, though I think its been a few years since I last saw her. She always had an eye for the absurd, and was able to make us laugh along with her even though we were just kids at the time. I remember looking forward to making dumplings with her (and eating them, too), periodically destroying her linen closet with our games of hide and go seek (I can't remember her ever complaining) and literally destroying your parents bed (we jumped from a ladder onto it until it collapsed; boy, were they furious). Your mother had an incredible grace to her that's very rare. I feel lucky that she was such a big part of my childhood; she provided stability that I didn't get from my own less-than-stable family.

I passed on the news to both my parents; they're both very, very sad and upset. My mother considered Joy a dear friend. I didn't remember this but apparently Joy, my mother and a friend of my mothers (Nancy Vale) once headed to the Caribbean for what apparently was a really wonderful, fun, women-only getaway. I think my father will be emailing you directly.

Please pass on my condolences to everyone there. Joy will be missed.

Love,

Pauline