For the past 15 years or so Anne and John Dorn have been living next to my parents place in Terrigal. In the space of 3 weeks both John, Anne and dog Tuppy have all passed away.
I never had much to do with John, he kept to himself and was a very quiet man, for the past few years he has been in a nursing home and Anne has been going in to see him everyday. Dementia had started to creep in and he passed away when we were all down in Jindabyne in late January for the Irish festival, he had been unwell for a long time so it was a blessing that his suffering had ended.
Anne had been undergoing chemo for cancer and for the most part had been well, she was a fit women, walking Tuppy twice a day and active in her garden, she had a love of Australian orchids.
Last Wednesday she got word that the chemo was no longer working. On Thursday she was taken into hospital and the following Friday she slipped away. She did not even get a chance to pick up Johns Ashes. There was no service for John and there will be no service for Anne. Its hard to comprehend. But thats what they wanted. Its a foreign concept to someone who has been brought up with such a strong importance placed on funerals and ceremony.
I went to see Anne last Monday in hospital, she was weak, and heavily sedated but happy to see me. Her sister was with her. She still looked as fresh for her age as always, her breathing was heavier and she fell in and out of sleep.
In a heavily laden voice she said 'you are very pretty' and the tears rolled down her voice and mine. I knew this was a goodbye. I tried to make small talk as best I could, what can you say? 'Can I get you some water?' 'Are you in any pain' 'Its very humid outside'. She nodded politely and more tears fell down her cheek.
I said my goodbyes, her last words before I kissed her goodbye were 'Are you still naughty?' she had a cheeky smile. I laughed a little and told her I was never naughty. As I drove away the memories of my naughtiness is her eyes flooded back...
When I was a teenager and the parents were away of course my friends would all come over for parties, my parents would know my friends would be there, but Anne would always fill them in on just how many and how loud the music was.
Washing my first car in the driveway the stereo would always be too loud for John. Anne would come out and ask that I turn it down. Once I was convinced that she had placed a curse on my stereo, after washing my Gemini the stereo no longer worked. A fuse had blown, but at the time I thought Anne had something to do with it! Anne was always a good neighbor, I didnt think so in my early teens, but as I got older my relationship with Anne developed with respect for a lady with a love of plants. Over the past few years she has given me advice on some of my plants and also giving me cuttings and succulents and palms to have at my own place. When John passed I thought that she would now have the opportunity to do more of her own thing. Maybe she was staying strong for him? Maybe she died of a broken heart? All I know is that she died very quickly. There will be no funeral. But she will be remembered fondly by all her neighbors in Anchorage Cres and those she met on her daily walks with Tuppy. RIP Anne.
