Now and then: My Massachusetts penfriend
<p><strong><em>Margaret Graham, 75, from Minnamurra, New South Wales, shares her beautiful Now and Then story about writing to a Massachusetts paper in 1959, seeking a pen pal and making a life-long friend with whom she would confide in over the years.</em></strong></p><p>In early 1959 I wrote to a Springfield, Massachusetts newspaper requesting a penfriend. I wanted to know more about life in the USA and I chose to write to a Springfield newspaper in Massachusetts, as there’s a Springfield here in New South Wales.</p><p>Around two months later I received a letter from Shirley who lived in Springfield. I accepted her as my penfriend and we had 52 lovely years of correspondence. In one of the first letters I received from Shirley in 1959, she also sent the above photo of herself sitting on the porch (far left).</p><p>Shirley and I would write to each other about my activities in ballroom dancing, my association with St John’s Ambulance and about my weekends spent at Cronulla Surf Club, Gunnamatta Bay and other places. We also discussed my work in the medical field. Since the age of 19 I worked typing medical reports from which I have only recently retired. I have extensive knowledge of the medical field in cardiothoracic, dermatology, ophthalmology and all forms of radiology.</p><p>From Shirley’s side, we’d talk about her work with the local school library and her husband, Fred’s heritage with the well-known Samuel Adams family in America. She would also write to me about her only child, Susan, and her upbringing. In Shirley’s letters she would tell me tales about their holiday home at Lake Wyola North of Springfield, which has been in the family for four generations.</p><p>When I was married in 1960, there was even more to talk about. I was living at Mortdale in Sydney and after the wedding we moved to Mount Pritchard on the outskirts of Liverpool where we purchased a home. I now reside in Minnamurra, which is two hours south of Sydney. I live on the river and ocean outlet.</p><p>After numerous years corresponding with each other, I visited Shirley in 1980. It was my first trip overseas and so nice to finally meet Shirley, her husband and daughter. I was taken back by the friendliness of the people I met on that trip. I also managed to stopover in Buffalo and Niagara Falls and again met some wonderful people. Niagara is a magical place; I fell in love with it. On my flight back to San Francisco, with a stop in Pennsylvania, I alighted from the plane to stretch my legs and met, who I thought were, two stewards. With my foreign accent, they were intrigued to find out where I was from. Once back on the plane, I was surprised to discover the two “stewards” turned out to be the pilot and co-pilot and they welcomed me on-board. As the journey continued the pilots’ voices came over the speaker and they were requesting to descend a little so that I could take some photos over Denver. I captured a few wonderful photos for my memory book. Whilst in San Francisco I did a lot of walking and was just ambling along when I heard a car approaching. It was the police. “Ma'am do you know where you are,” said one of the officers. Naturally I replied, “Yes”. The next thing I heard was, “Do you know you’re in the red light area?” I did not! “Where the heck are you from,” the policemen asked. Well, they promptly escorted me back to safety.</p><p>Over the years of correspondence Shirley and I became very close and much closer after I visited her in Springfield. Then in 1982 Shirley visited me, which she enjoyed immensely. I took her to many places including a visit to my son’s farm at Murringo just south of Young.</p><p>In 2009 I visited Springfield again to celebrate 50 years of correspondence with Shirley. I had another wonderful time with my penfriend and her family. We went to Boston to see where Fred’s well-know relative, Samuel Adams, signed the declaration. Then we travelled to New York on the September 23, which was birthday. The photo above (far right) was taken at the Statue of Liberty. This was just a day trip. We did a tour of New York by bus and came back home with some lovely memories.</p><p>Sadly, Shirley has passed away on Thanksgiving last year and I missed her so, but I am so grateful for all of the wonderful memories.</p><p><strong><em>If you have a Now and Then story you would like to share with Over60, please email <a href="mailto:contribute@oversixty.com.au" target="_blank">contribute@oversixty.com.au</a></em></strong></p>
