a letter from Joe Wehrer

Knowing the state of Cindy’s health, I wrote her a letter (how dated you say?) in late December and mailed it promptly. When we were told by Yoko that she hadn’t received that letter or one written even earlier by Betty we were perplexed and disappointed to have failed to reach her. We now surmise that we affixed US first class stamps rather than the amount for International mail. Someday those letters may find their way back marked returned for insufficient postage.

Dec 20 2010

Dear Cindy,

After spending hours rummaging thru your collected works in Paula’s garage and making off with some of your plaques, I realized that it might be the closest I will come to my dear old friend.

My tight little garden already has a connection with your mirrored apartment and roof from Toronto days in that the surrounding walls are hung with discarded mirrors and shards of mirrors found in the free boxes on our SF streets. They will be joined by your plaques on the first pleasant day after our winter storms give up the ghost. We get pleasure from seeing bits of our garden foliage, Bougainvillea, Meyer Lemon, Bamboo, Succulents, Lilies and weed infested ground cover reflected from large and small fragments of mirror. Rising from near the path is an eight-foot tall replica of an old farm wind pump that is there because George, you remember George, insisted that it was just what we needed. The two house walls that enclose the space have been recently painted to show green hills below blue skies with floating clouds more or less like what we might see if the buildings didn’t exist. The neighbors have no idea what their walls look like. When the plaques go up, it will be our Cindy Shrine. Oh yes, there will be a NO SMOKING  sign.

You have always been one of the dear few that I both love and admire. There are few who are so generous in giving of themselves wholeheartedly, and non judgmentally.

Few who are as resourceful and ready to tackle new situations whether by intent or by  

trick of fate. I love your infectious good humor and readiness to add pleasure upon pleasure. I have often told stories of your adventures to new friends and invariably they are told to illustrate the ways of a well-spent life

I take pleasure in recalling good times together on the golf course playing for beer and Jim Beam, in museum and university gyms and auditoriums dispensing art education, at the Falcon listening to Bob James, dancing with Robert Sheff, and mostly just hanging out and talk, talk, talking. It has been great knowing you. You have always given more than you have been given and you deserve all the best.