My friend, Gloria, died last week. She was my family’s au pair when I was growing up in Cleveland, Ohio. She lived with us from before I was born until I was five and then again a few years later. We have stayed in touch my entire life. It’s embarrassing how little I knew about her. It’s also lovely, though more on this later. I think she was from Maryland, though I could be making that up. I think she was adopted out of an orphanage (also possibly untrue). She came to work for us because my brother, then a toddler, liked her. What wasn’t to like? She was warm and kind and funny. She styled her hair like Rod Stewart. She used to wear roll-on lip gloss from a glass bottle covered in red flowers. I can still smell that gloss if I try. She never kissed you once, but in a series—little feather kisses—like she was snacking on the goodness of a kid (she was). She had a great laugh, a great smile (I think she had a bridge because I remember this little flash a silver whenever she opened her mouth). She could fill a room with her brand of joy and crazy. Children
As a fellow writer, I can honestly say this is one of the most accomplished pieces I've seen on substack. You brought her back to life.
Thanks!
i'm so sorry for your loss and this is such a beautiful piece and tribute.