Song For Linda

I never met Linda. We lived hundreds of miles apart and even tho I plotted to get out East, I never made it. We "met" after I spotted a letter to the Editor in    Comic Buyers Guide back in  1986. I responded to her letter as back then, many "fan type" publications gave actual addresses when printing a letter.  We found we were both big fans of DC Comics, and shared a love of the Green Lantern Corps/Justice League, especially the character  Guy Gardener . I mentioned to her that my perfect condition issue of GL #59 (first series) was half the price she paid for her copy in the same condition. This was before people began to  SLAB their comics.  We were fans of the comics to be read, not to be hermetically sealed and then sold for upgraded pricing.

Linda had promised me years ago she would have a place for me to bunk or would be my tour guide if I got out that way-she knew of my "bucket list" item to run a few laps thru Central Park.   It might have happened if not for me getting sick and losing contact with her and all my fellow comic book friends.  10 years later-give or take a few months, I am reading a comic editorial blog and come across Mike Gold's byline. Hmmm, I wondered.

So to make a long story shorter, I found Linda on Facebook. Still the same Linda only now long married  to Mike for about 17-18 years.I was so pleased when she originally shared with me that she had met a special guy, who also loved comics as much as she did. In fact it was his career! Her daughter had grown up as had mine. She still lived in the same place, so I could not understand why my hand written letters never got to her. I still have every letter she wrote to me-including the envelopes. Understand that we didn't have emails back in 1986 and I didn't have a computer until 1995.  But it was like we never had that break. She still loved jazz and was consumed by Bix and old radio. I never wavered from my wanting to trip back to the late 1890's to live (I would give up a lot for that).

We had the same political leanings, were both dealing with insomnia , worried about the economy and health care reform, and had a farm. Yes, that stupid FarmVille on Facebook. The last night I had her as part of my life, I sent her some silly thing for the farm, made a post of which she gave it thumbs up for a like and  told her good night and knew she would be there the next evening to farm, plow, or plant some virtual crop. Only she wasn't. Sometime in the middle of the night, she died. Only 60. Only too too young. Only leaving broken hearts behind.

I made this card for her and was getting ready to post it ( I am so slow and weirded out by my PO at times) so she could give it to her beloved Mike. It was exactly the style she would have loved. Very 1930's with an image printed on fabric of two stars of cinema that enthralled those from the era but kept a population occupied with fluff stories as the Depression took its toll on hearts and souls. We were two who think we belonged in other eras.

I found this  piano piece the other night and it made me think of  her . I hope you will listen to it and then remember to let others know you treasure them as I did her.

I have finally reached a point where I know she won't be logging on to Facebook, but I still wish she were. Facebook keeps reminding me to poke her or get in touch with her. I don't farm anymore but left our farms intact just as they were in late May of this past spring. It's been hard to say the least, having lost my mom, sister and someone I would have picked for a sister all within a year. I never got to tell her I have a grand child on the way. She would have been delighted especially with the due date being  near Halloween.

Remember not to procrastinate if you have something you want to do or say to someone. I never got the chance this time. So wherever Linda is these days, hugs. This one is for you.