November 9th - You're gone  Table of Contents  December 18th, Maricelma's letter  
  December 8, 2001
  Today I fulfilled one of your wishes
and gave all your clothes
(at least all those Claudia and Raquel didn't want)
to the Salvation Army.

Packing them was easier than I expected
You, after all, were not your clothes.
They were decorations that changed over the years.
I got through that just fine.

But when the truck came to take them away
Unanticipated emotions overcame me
as tears welled in my eyes
that I stupidly fought

It was like losing you all over again.
Your being taken away, impersonally,
like that night now a month ago,
by people just doing a job.

Frozen to the spot, fighting the tears
I know what you would say,
Você é frio, when you know I'm not.
Until Thomas comes and breaks my reverie.

  português