Fran H. R.I.P.

Was very sorry to hear about the death of our good friend Fran down in Bowen last week. In fact, I've already told you one Fran story, but I won't remind you which it is.

Fran was one of "The Immortals"; those slender elegant self-contained women who appear ageless and who believe they will never die due to their regime of diet, exercise and vitamin supplements.  She used to speak horrifed words about my smoking and claim I was a cancer victim just waiting to happen. 

Guess what killed her?

I used to tell her I believed cancer was caused by holding in dark secrets, and also by repressed memories and hanging on to bitterness and rancour.  She found that hilarious.

Poor Fran.  What a honey she was.  She was meant to be coming over to Hong Kong for a holiday with us two years back and we were all looking forward to it, but instead I got a very sunny and funny letter from her saying she'd got cancer and needed immediate surgery. There was no doubt in her mind that this was a minor glitch and she'd be right as rain and over to see us in no time.  The rescheduling never happened however and I heard nothing more.  In fact, I didn't even get a Christmas card from her last year. 

And now a letter turned up from her daughters, awaiting our arrival in Townsville, saying she'd just died and that they'd be no funeral at her own request. 

Very sad, isn't it.  I wonder why someone wouldn't want a funeral. 

Fran, darling, RIP.