Hélène

Hélène is a dear childhood friend of Maryse... Upon learning of Maryse's passing, she has this memento to recall...

Anh Lân thân mến,

This is my 2nd try to write about my dearest friend Maryse. I could not control my emotions thinking about Maryse when I started to write and I got so blurry that I had to stop.

We were classmates since the 11eme class. Starting the 6eme class, I was old enough to bike to the school and so did Maryse. Contrary to Jackie Bông, I called her "JO", short for Josephine. I did not know that she did not like that first name until much later because she never told me she hated it.

We were a trio with another close friend (who passed away already), Mary Yến. After school, we would wander on Catinat street (Tự Do, later) and had ice cream or snack at Givral or Brodard, or we went to the movies. The days that we did not go together, then I would follow Maryse to her home and spent hours with her. Her mother loved me very much and vice versa and she never let me go home without having dinner with the family. The two mothers, mine and Maryse's were also very close.

Then starting secondary school, Maryse left for France. I did not see her again until I went there in 1967 where I met you for the first time, Anh Lân. We had a good time together strolling around the Quartier Latin.

Finally, when we saw each other again, you were in Florida and me in California. We, And Vân and I had the opportunity to visit you on our trip to the Bahamas, then I met Mặc-Long. Maryse also told me that he is the joy and the good fortune for the family. She was a devoted wife and mother and she was very proud of Mặc-Long, praising his various accomplishments at school.

When you told me Maryse left us eternally, I was choking. I felt that I lost a dear sister, dearer than my own because we spent hours on the phone when we talked. Although she was already sick, she still comforted me and encouraged me to be brave and optimistic so that I could fight my sickness.

And 2 months before she left us, she called me and we talked about 15 minutes, she was panting and so I did not want her to tire herself but she still advised me to be courageous.

All her life, she had been a soft spoken person, always sweet and generous. I never saw her having any tantrums even when she was mad or upset.

I will miss her profoundly and remember how great a wife, a mother and a friend she was.

All my sisters love her very much and have a memorable and beautiful souvenir of Maryse and Mặc-Long when they visited Maryse and you on their trip to Canada. What a wonderful family you have, they said.

With our deepest regrets and condolences to you, VyVy and Mặc-Long.

Love,
Vân, Hélène and family.