February 8, 2021. Playa Royale, Mexico. The Telephone.

The telephone is importny to me, especially now that I am alone in Mexico. Today was an especially lucky day for me because two friends called me just to say hello. At least once a week I call a friends to chat but it is unusual for friends to call me. But I love it when they do. Who uses a rolodex these days? This afternoon I received a call. The first words out of him mouth was to say that he was flipping through his rolodex and found my cell phone. He called just to see if my number still worked. My first comment in my head before I recognized his voice was to realize that the voice must be someone old who uses a roldex. And I was right. The voice was Ed Quick, the husband of my good friend Colleen. They moved to Bethesday in 1970 just a few months before us. I met Colleen and their son Teddy at the park. We have been friends ever since. Colleen and I belonged to two book clubs. One still lives on and has been functioning for over fifty years. Every year, Ed sends a Christmas letter, often received in March or April. While Colleen was alive, she and I talked on the phone a couple of times a year but since her death in January of 2018, my only contact was with the Christmas greetings. I had talked to Ed after Colleen died but not since. We had a good old chat. My cell phone is the same number as the Bethesday days. He was impressed. I was delighted to talk with him. This morning my friend Marilyn called me while I was still eating breakfast and reading. She is a modern lady who seldom uses the phone. Instead she texts and e mails, which is what everyone else does. Marilyn has been a friend from the time we lived in Galveston. She and her husband were residents and had their three children during that time. We also had our children about the same time. Again we have stayed friends. She and Richard came on the horse back riding trip north of Banff along with Marilyn's son. And they have visited us at all our places except Mississippi and Mexico. I was delighted that she idulged me by phoning. Made my day.