Pam, I am picturing
you in your then-office at 1595 Spring Hill Road. Those enormous stacks of
paper! I was lucky to occupy a nearby office for a while and my recollection is
that there seemed always to be someone approaching your door, fully confident that
no matter your actual plans for the moment you would have time for them: to
enlighten, to commiserate, to laugh, to chat, or simply to enjoy working
together at some task or other. I know that I used to pop in regularly. You
were so fair-minded, and blissfully unflappable at all times.
I remember too the
London office in its early years, at 211 Piccadilly and then 36 Upper Brook
Street, and the extent to which we depended on your advice and good cheer. I
remain grateful, twenty-five years on, for the optimism and reassurance which
you wove into our determined yet roller-coaster efforts to get things going. I
loved the stories of your time working with Michael Kaiser - and the dogs.
You and Jay made the
adventure of moving to live and work abroad infinitely easier for me than it
might have been. You met me at Dulles Airport, welcomed me to your home for the
long weekend, threw in a Labor Day party for good measure, drove me to the
office on Tuesday morning, and in the evening settled me into a serviced apartment
near the office. In those first weeks you steered me through opening a bank
account, learning to drive and getting a licence, leasing and insuring a car,
and finding my apartment building just down the road from you on Connecticut
Avenue. You invited me to lunch at your house for my first American
Thanksgiving, and to many other lunches, suppers and barbecues. You introduced
me to your friends, to the District, to the neighbourhood, to the Avalon,
Politics & Prose (which became my home-from-home) and the joys of National
Public Radio. When my car on a dark icy evening skidded into the intersection
of River Road and Western Avenue, activated its airbags, mounted the verge and
rolled over (fortunately without injuring anyone), you came and calmly rescued
me when I rang you, and then drove me to and from the office every day while
the car was at the garage. And you were always great company.
I know that for you
and Jay - and Michael by imitation as he grew up - this easy-going, generous
and sustained hospitality and friendship was the normal and only way to live. I
have not forgotten any of it (nor indeed the welcome and help from so many
Kaiser people throughout my time in America, and the sheer fun of it all).
My dear Pam, I wish
you the happiest of well-deserved retirements. Please add the English Surrey
Hills to the list of places where you will always find a warm welcome!
Every blessing, and a
really big hug
Julia
JULIA REDFERN
Kaiser Associates
1993-2000
No comments:
Post a Comment