I left you with the urgent call message New Year's Eve 1979 starting 1980

I left you with the urgent phone call given to us at our table as we celebrated the New Year:1980.

The call came from my son and in the background I could hear my sister sobbing. It seems her daughter (she had one and a son) eloped with a boy they disapproved of. Her husband started to blame my sister violently and she barely escaped driving under the remote garage door in her car. She only had the clothes on her back. no pocketbook, no identification, nothing. She did not want to interrupt my son's party and wanted to borrow some money. Gordon didn't have enough for her and I always had a few dollars hidden. I instructed him to give what I had to her and she left looking for a motel that would take her in.

I spent that entire evening into the morning calling every motel I could near our homes, but did not find her. We left for home after a few hours sleep and guess she went back to her home knowing that her husband had to open his drug store early. She had no medication (she was on quite a bit) and she was an awful mess. We did not dare interfere with her husband who had a terrible temper, but my husband called him at the store and begged him not to take his anger out on my sister.

During the seven years after my father's death, my mother continued to go to Miami Beach to the same hotel. She took this news VERY badly as well. We took her to the airport and she seemed to be worse than ever health-wise. Mel insisted on putting her into her seat on the plane and made her keep her medication near by. He also gave the attendants headsup.

This was in February and my sister received a phone call from my mother saying she did not know where she was, and of course, I was called by my sister to check it out. It seemed she was not well and taken to a local hospital. I went to her home and got the phone number of the private hospital that my father used to use when in Florida for nearly twenty years and persuaded them to get my mother and see what really was wrong. I bought two tickets on my credit card and my sister and I flew down to check it out. My mother's room had twin beds and a meal plan - so we used that.

We rented a car, and visited her daily for the week we planned to stay. The doctors said her heart was weak, and her condition really was not good. They suggested a small operation and then send her back to Boston to a nursing home telling us this near her open door. I did not know that she not only changed my father's will, but had a legal clause that to end her life if she was seriously ill. I never heard of it until the Dr. called me to say "goodbye" to her. She was sedated, but up enough to exclaim she refused to go to any nursing home. He held a large object in a towel in his hand, but I did not dare look at it. He went into the room and shortly she was gone.

It just so happened that my sister came down with a dreadful cold, and was very angry at what she knew my mother did with our father's money. I knew NOTHING so, I packed the trunk and was told that I had to bring it in a cab to the trucking company - while my sister sat in the room fuming. The flight home was not pleasant and when Mel picked us up and wanted to take her to our doctor, she screamed at him to just take her home.

March was horrid. My sister's husband insisted that since Mel and I arranged for auctioneers to come to my parents' home, got prices for furnishings, Orientals, the grand piano, and started to pack things, in between working and just living, insisted that we were STEALING! It was an emotional turmoil. It was especially hard on me.

Then, after we agreed not to sleep in that house until everything was removed, it was robbed. Almost everything was recovered since one of the three kids got cold feet and gave the police heads-up. The items taken were paintings and other valuables that could be carried and held by the police for many months. It was only because I had the nerve to go to the court house and interrupt the kids' "trial" (which was postponed, again) and nearly got arrested for approaching the judge. Thank goodness,he asked why I was standing there, and I wanted to know why our possessions were not returned. He ordered it to be done immediately and that night Mel and I took our small RV and picked it all up.

Oh yes, our home also had a burglary! But my father (who had passed away seven years prior) had his name splashed as a headline that $75,000.00 worth of valuables were stolen from his home. I called the editor of the major Boston Paper and a gave him a piece of my mind. How dare they, and the amount printed was so out of whack. Yup, right on the front page with a copy of his obituary.

Came April, started the wedding season. My husband woke at night and said he felt funny and was going to drive himself to the hospital (five minutes from our home). The Doctor called me and said he had a serious Angina attack and was in ICU. I was caught between staying with him or carrying on the work at the studios. I did BOTH. Trying to fill in wedding dates, and postponing sittings as well as my other responsibilities kept me hoping back and forth. I would have my dinner at the hospital and stay as long as they allowed.

One day, in the waiting room by the ICU, I found my brother-in-law sleeping waiting to see Mel. He had been loosing weight since his daughter's elopement and did not look that well. I woke him so he could visit with Mel and then he left for the Drug Store.

Mel stayed in the hospital for almost four weeks, he was that sick. But close to May, he was home for awhile, and in May went to the studio starting with a few hours a day. He answered the phone as usual and we slowly started to our schedule although he was still quite weak. It was almost Memorial Day weekend, and I was doing work in the back room while Mel answered the phone. He kept saying: "I understand, okay. I will"., and hung up. He called me to say there was an accident with my sister's husband and to go to their local hospital but to drive carefully and not rush. I was directed to a small room and my sister was seated on a chair with a nurse taking her blood pressure. Then sis said to me: "He's gone!". My nephew then fifteen was crying on the side and my niece (age 19) soon came in with her husband - late since she lived 45 minutes away. My brother-in-law died while saying"goodbye" to her and fell right on top of her -- DEAD. They told her later his insides had literally exploded and he must have been medicating himself.

Now we were at the same funeral home in a couple of months, with the same friends and family driving up the circular driveway. My son drove me (leaving my husband home - fearful of his health) and as I got out of my Opel, met many people asking about him and explaining he was recovering from a heart attack.

So, there you have the beginning of 1980 - two family deaths and a serious heart attack all between the end of February to the end of May. Remembering all of this gives me chills. Forgot to tell you, that my brother-in-law was only 48 years old.

Could things get worse? Yup, they sure could and did. So, why don't I leave you here and complete this - NEXT CHAPTER.

Thanks for reading. Marian