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Mildred Ellen Jacobs · 05/01/2010 10:20 pm by Bron

There used to be the three of them- I guess it was a strange situation, Larry Senior and his wife Olga, and Olga’s sister Mildred, who never married. We used to call them little nana and big nana as kids. Our cousin called them kitchen nana and lounge nana. And now grandpop is alone in that house. He looked so lost. Fallen. He could hardly talk, I didn’t know what to say. Seeing other people upset- that’s what often upsets me most at funerals.

When I heard I went over to see mum, she was in bed and I climbed in next to her and said I was sorry, and she cried. It is so hard to see your parents cry.

She never forgot anyone’s birthday. She knew everyone’s name. Everyone’s. I wouldn’t have a clue when it comes to extended family.

I am sad, for all that is lost with her. That history. Mum says she’s the reason they came to Australia from India, and now I can’t ask her about it. The stories I may never know about our family. Family- something that should be so familiar, and sacred. And yet I never even knew her middle name.

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