Gayle. I miss you so much already. I keep thinking “oh I’ll have to tell Gayle this or that next time we speak.” There is definitely a piece of my heart that went to Heaven with you, Dearest Cousin. Yes I recall the rides in your convertible when you were so sweet to treat your little cousin. The first time I ever heard “77 WABC” being sung out and my first taste of that Rock’n’Roll that ended up playing such a huge part in my life. And even after your move to Texas, we corresponded like pen pals! Ten years difference in our age and you were never too busy for me. For some reason I think of us writing about Sly & the Family Stone from Texas. You were happy I knew them & we both loved the music! I recall the showers we threw for you - one of them at my apartment. I remember how in love you and Eddie were, and your giddy happiness when you brought him North to meet the family! So much more, Gayle. I could go on and on. But my favorite times were these last three years when we reconnected after a hiatus. We just picked up our closeness like we’d never been apart, and now this time, the ten year difference in age was nothing. At all. I owe you an enormous debt of gratitude for being the first relative to speak to me about my father, Howard Kirn. How wonderful to hear good things said about him, and to find out that everyone, including Nina and Papa, liked him. And you told me probably the most important things to know about my heritage, and my parents practicing Judaism. I would have never known some very important facts that eventually helped me figure out who I am, had it not been for you, Gayle. For that I am forever grateful. And when we weren’t talking about family, and our pets, and our aches and pains - we were laughing. Good Lord, could we make each other laugh. You understood me, Gayle. I cling to our last conversation on New Years Eve 2020. I know we closed with “I love you, Cousin” to each other. So no regrets. Just the empty place in my heart that my Dearest Gayle had filled. I’ll probably think of a hundred more things to say but right now, I will sign off with this: I love you, Cousin.
