KELLY GIRL

Sometimes when the sun is rising and the house is very quiet, I start to think of the past, this morning was one of those times. I started thinking about a gril that my friend Ilene had introduced me to, her name was Kelly. She was about 22 and I was about 20, the year 1982.

Kelly was beautiful in the classic sense, she had sleek red hair and brilliant green cat eyes. She was always into the holistic life style, and her job as massage therapist went hand in hand with this life style. Only one thing about Kelly was strange and didn't fit into her lifestyle, was she liked to drink. She mainly drank red wine and could be intoxicated after just two drinks. I think growing up in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn and being Irish did not help with her drinking situation, also to her defense this was the decadent 80s.

My friend Kelly had chance in the late 80s to get on the Cunard ship Vistajford and sail on their world cruise, not once but twice. She was on the ship for about 2 years. While she was on the ship we heard all kinds of funny stories involving Kelly,
like her joining exercise classes for the guests only. She would order fresh squeezed carrot juice everyday and have it delivered to a guest cabin door and then pick it up. She was a real live one as my mom use refer to her. At times I had some real run ins with her but we would make up and laugh about later. She was a true pleasure seeker and very rarely did she ever look back which I envied.

Unfortunately for Kelly her past was at times strange and very sad. Her father had left her mom when she was just an infant and she didn't hear from him until she was late in her 30s. I know her reunion with him was something she treasured.

She called me after my mom had died in 2001 and we talked for awhile. She seemed to drift in and out of the conversation and I know she was disappointed with life a little. She talked about never having met her mate and how as friends we lost touch with each other at the drop of a hat. I was very sad as well, after having lost my mom, 9/11,losing my job and having disconnected with a very close friend, my foundation had finally gave out. Kelly said she could hear the sadness in me, and asked what was wrong. I never went into it but I knew things were going to keep changing in the next couple of months and they did.

I hadn't heard from Kelly in awhile but I did hear from a friend during the summer who told me Kelly died. They were unsure of the way she died but to me it didn't really matter. It made me realize how short life is and maybe she had right, just seek pleasure. I mean pleasure in family, friends, travel and life itself.

I found this picture above of the Vistafjord ship and it brought back the memory of my visit with her on that ship and how she loved it so much. She was a free spirit and she taught me some valuable life lessons. Sail on girl!!!!