Farewell to Erika, from Kenneth Sheldon-Lee
ERIKA WAS VERY DEAR TO US. WE WENT BACK A LONG TIME.
I FIRST MET ERIKA WHEN SHE WAS WORKING WITH THE AIRLINE AND AS BRASH AS I WAS AT THE TIME I ASKED HER IF SHE WOULD LIKE TO JOIN ME FOR DRINKS AT THE NATIONAL HOTEL IN BRISBANE. AT THAT TIME IT WAS THE ‘IN’ PUB.
I WAS TO MEET MY GREAT FRIEND CARL THAT FRIDAY NIGHT AND THAT MEETING WHEN ERIKA TURNED UP WITH ONE OF HER GIRLFRIENDS WAS THE NIGHT SHE MET HER FUTURE HUSBAND. AS I REMEMBER IT (MORE THAN 40 YEARS LATER) IT TURNED OUT TO BE A RIOTOUS NIGHT. CARL IN HIS USUAL FASHION WAS OUTRAGEOUS, CHARMING, FUNNY AND TOTALLY OFF THE PLANET. THEY HIT IT OFF IMMEDIATELY AND THAT BEGAN A LONG AND VERY HAPPY ASSOCIATION WITH ERIKA.
I CAN RECALL SO MANY GREAT TIMES WE ALL HAD TOGETHER BOTH HERE AND IN ASIA.
BOTH CARL AND I WORKED FOR MILES LABORATORIES AT THE TIME AND HE, JIM AND I BECAME FIRM FRIENDS WITH ERIKA AND HER FAMILY.
I RECALL SEVERAL EVENTS THAT COME BACK TO ME WITH SUCH CLARITY IT BRINGS A CATCH TO MY VOICE AND A TEAR TO MY EYES.
THERE WERE PICNICS WITH ERIKA’S FAMILY – WITH HER MOTHER AND PRUE AND HER YOUNGER BROTHERS KEITH AND KEN.
THEN THERE WAS THE TRIP TO THE NORTHERN TIP OF AUSTRALIA – COOKTOWN, ELLIS BEACH ESPECIALLY WHERE WE LIVED OUT OF TENTS AND BOTH CARL AND I WERE CAUGHT USING COMPANY CARS FOR WHICH WE HAD TO ANSWER TO OUR BOSS AT THE TIME (GEOFF AND LAURIS ROSE) WHO ALSO BECAME GREAT FRIENDS OF ERIKA.
WHEN CARL AND ERIKA WERE TRANSFERRED TO ASIA I REMEMBER THE GOOD TIMES WE HAD IN SINGAPORE ESPECIALLY THE OLD COLONIAL HOUSE WHERE THEY LIVED.
AFTER CARL LEFT MILES, ERIKA AND HE WENT TO HONG KONG. BY THIS TIME I WAS MARRIED TO ROBYN #1 AND WE LIVED IN MANILA. DUE TO THE VISA REQUIREMENTS THE WHOLE FAMILY (WE NOW HAD BRADFORD) HAD TO LEAVE EVERY 60 DAYS. WE STAYED WITH ERIKA AND CARL IN HONG KONG. I VIVIDLY REMEMBER MY SON BRAD AND JESSICA AFTER ESCAPING THEIR ARMAHS ATTENTION WERE CAUGHT STUFFING PAPER DOWN THE TOILET GIGGLING GLEEFULLY.
WHEN CARL AND ERIKA CAME BACK TO ADELAIDE I WAS A FREQUENT VISITOR AND AGAIN WE HAD VERY GOOD TIMES.
AFTER CARL AND ERIKA SPLIT WHEN I RETURNED FROM ASIA I MET SO MANY OF HER GOOD FRIENDS IN ADELAIDE DURING MY FREQUENT VISITS. INEVITABLY WE ALWAYS ENDED UP AT THE HOTEL BRITANICA (I THINK THAT IS WHAT IT WAS CALLED).
AFTER ROBYN #2 AND I MARRIED AND WE MOVED TO THE BUSH ERIKA SPENT TIME WITH US ON OUR FARM. THE MOST VIVID MEMORY I HAVE IS ONE MORNING ERIKA RUNNING OUT OF HER ROOM YELLING BECAUSE A LARGE GREEN FROG JUMPED ONTO HER WHILE SHE WAS SITTING ON THE TOILET. THE FROG CONTINUED TO VISIT HER AND ON THE MORNING SHE WAS GOING BACK TO ADELAIDE SHE FOUND IT IN ONE OF HER SHOES. HER SPIN ON THIS WAS THAT THE FROG DID NOT WANT HER TO LEAVE…
ERIKA’S PASSING IS THE END OF AN ERA FOR ME. FIRST MY GOOD FRIEND CARL LEFT US AND RECENTLY THE LAST REMAINING MEMBER OF THE TRIO (JIM AHEARN) PASSED AWAY.
SO VALE ERIKA – WE WILL ALL MISS YOU BUT PERHAPS CONSIDERING THE LAST FEW YEARS WHEN YOU STRUGGLED FOR BREATH THIS MAY BE A KIND RELEASE.
ERIKA GO WITH WHICHEVER GOD YOU BELIEVE IN – PERHAPS WE WILL ALL MEET UP AGAIN SOMEWHERE.
KENNETH SHELDON-LEE JANUARY 2012