Easter surprise

My Easter surprise had nothing to do with eggs but with the telephone. After a wonderful dinner in Payerne, I headed home and before my coat was off the phone began to ring. Each call was nicer then the one before, old friends and family wishing me a nice Easter. However the absolutely best was from Czech and my old neighbors and friends.

So often in Geneva people do not bother to make friends with people because so many are transient. Some feel why put in the work if people will jsut disappear after three, four, ten years.

On the bus last night I heard two people tell their friends they were moving back to Norway (their common language was accented English) after being here over 25 years was a reminder of the ever changing nature of the human climate.

My theory is that is better to have friends for three or four years then miss them rather than not knowing them at all. But just because people move, doesn’t mean a friendship has to end. I am amazed how many people have stayed in touch with regular phone calls, card, letter, e-mails and/or visits. Yes, it is different then when people are in dropping in distance, but the richness can be preserved and new memories can be made.

The Couple Czech was always extra special in my heart. Our communications were sometimes in French, sometimes in English, never in their language and it involved lots of shared meals, shared laundry nights, diplomatic bread which was bread they had flown in from Prague in the diplomatic pouch and totally different from what I could buy locally. Half a loaf would be left on my door, half they would eat. She made baked goods that would earn her a post in any pattiserie and he loved my peanut butter cookies.

This is the couple that one of my chins would have moved in with in a shot. I always knew when they were home because Mika planked himself down in front of their door and had to be physically carried to our own flat. When they retired back home they left a hole, although the Indian couple that moved in also became special, special friends. That is the way in Geneva.

Since they moved the Couple Czech and I’ve stay in touch. I have visited Prague, they have come back. Today I was thinking of them and Florian had asked about them. I made a mental note to buy a card and send it. (I had talked to their son by email not that long before) As if by ESP they knew and called. The man explained they hadn’t been in touch for a little longer than usually because the wife had had cancer but waited until everything looked like it was going to all right. Their son hadn’t wanted to tell me about his mother.

We caught up on the news. The warmth was almost as good as when they lived two doors down the hall, but not quite only because I would have loved to see their faces (and perhaps sample one of her pastries). Still it reminded me of the important of taking the effort to stay in touch and that moving away doesn’t mean friendships have to suffer. They just change format. What that format is depends on those involved.

Yup, the phone call was better than any huge black chocolate Easter Bunny.