Heartbeatgoa.memories -"ADEUS" - Francis Rodrigues, Toronto

Nachinola, Goa, December 2006. She met him on the internet, as these things often do nowadays. Herheart fluttered at the little Goan village library computer, firstbecause she was almost thirty, an old maid by Goan standards, andsecond because after a month online, she found he was real. He wasforty and lived with his mother in Mumbai, not so far away, and whenshe phoned, his halting bass tones were steadily reassuring. Theyexchanged pictures and the streaming words softly turned into love. Except that the phone-line kept worsening over the four-month monsoonuntil she could barely hear his voice, and so they were back to email.His messages began to grow in ardour and she responded likewise. Hishad a sense of urgency though, encouraging her to develop her artistictalents, predicting a great future for her. Her? Surely he meant...them?Was there...another? Still he professed undying love, and though henever seemed to answer her questions, he did write her everyday..... At Christmas when his mail faltered, she said it was now or never, andtook a train to Mumbai. She found his apartment, and his handsome oldmother welcomed her. He wasn't there, she said, had slipped away. Whennight came and they were alone, the mother broke. He'd been terminallyill she said, and spent the monsoon writing hundreds of messages for her."You mean...?" the girl's heart filled with dread. "Yes, Mabel," wept themother, "I've been forwarding one every day to you since September. Hewanted you to be strong, always. Adolf passed away three months ago."