Hazel to Anita Mathews on June 10, 1993
The first of a batch of eleven letters taken from Hazel's laptop.
2189 Sharon Road
Menlo Park
Cal 94025 USA10 June 1993
Dear Anita,
Many thanks for responding to my garbled and no doubt anxious message to Harold and Nancy. It was a combination of uncertain address, cash and having to face Eleanor every day that led me to place an international call to your aunt's telling you that American money had been left at a certain post office box for you -- a story worthy of a novelette. I have always been a little bit worried about your peregrinations but you now have Eleanor a little bit worried too. If she knew you better, she'd of course be a lot more worried. The day your package arrived I had in fact given her money back to her -- to assuage my guilt -- she demurred but took it absentmindedly anyway as children swirled around her. When I returned to pick up Joshua, she was ready to give it back and I was able to thrust the missing article into her hands in return. So it ended with a coincidence of good will. I am aware that I owe you at least $15 but instead of paying out on bank charges I'll give it to you when we return, if that's OK.
The wedding studio/Youth Centre seems a good arrangement. What happened to the other projects you were pursuing in your previous letter? I'm finding it impossible to keep up with your life by letter. How do you find it at close quarters? Is Stuart your original flat-mate? I hope the new flat is working out well.
I am writing this on my new laptop which is an incredible piece of equipment -- quite an admission from someone low tech like me. Some would say low tech and high tack. We are off for a sailing trip next week with an old friend of Rob's sailing to the Catalina Islands just south of Los Angeles. I'm mildly anxious about the children -- they can't swim. I think I will have them dressed permanently in wetsuits, life jackets, life belts and and have them sit on special ejector seats or better still rope them to the mast. As soon as we return Rob is off to Greece and London for 2 weeks. Do I care? I try not to think about it in any terms other than business terms. I try to ignore the romantic and historical context otherwise I "get mad as hell".
I'm going to close before I get lost in a swirl of children myself. My thanks and Eleanor's thanks and Harold and Nancy's thanks and ...... for hunting down that incredibly expensive skin food when you had enough on your mind already. Just in case you decide to have another falling out with a landlord, why don't you give me Paula's phone number? We are trying to ignore how quickly time is passing.
My sister is planning another trip out here before we leave. Soon we will be in a mess of packing. I'm sure you remember. Take care.
Hazel
Last Updated 10 December 2000