souvenirs from places visited and theatrical productions seen so long ago.

           One picture showed her as a finishing school student, with a long skirt, a buxom figure, wearing a waistcoat and sporting high-piled hair. But what struck us funny was that she had a cricket bat resting on her shoulder, as did the lovely young woman standing beside her. They were smiling brightly at each other and stood with hip-thrust sauciness.

          Another picture showed the girls close up, looking directly into the camera, their heads tilted to the side, leaning against each others'. I was just a teenager when Gram died and not at all interested in old pictures of girls in funny clothes, until Mom sort of gasped and leaned closer over the images.

           "Look," she said, sounding in awe. "Gram's locket, but the other girl is wearing it."

           I turned the picture over. On the reverse, it read:
"To My Darling, Melinda.
With Love Through Many Lifetimes,
Hillary."

           Looking back now, I realize how quickly Mom had put Gram's belongings away, and why. A young boy just wouldn't understand what Mom felt she had discovered and probably didn't understand herself. Such things didn't exist way back then.

          "These were Gram's personal things," Mom said. "And we're going to respect her privacy."

          She stored all the items in the attic, unopened and unread. As far as Mom was concerned, Gram's privacy would remain intact.

 

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Through Many Life Times          2

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