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From:
Subject: [PIATT] FWD: An open letter to my "Upstairs" relitives
Date: Fri, 01 Jun 2001 10:59:04 -0400

This was forwarded to me from a friend. I thought it fit the recent conversation amoung the group well. Hope you all like it.

Amanda
Cincinnati, OH

___________________________________________________________________________

After spending a frustrating evening pouring over illegible handwriting in
badly damaged and out of focus parish registers - and still NOT finding my
relatives, I thought it was time to send an open email (at
http://www.ofcoursethereisaheaven.com/) to all my "Upstairs" relatives
who have gone to Heaven (99% of them) or the Other Place (1%).

The text follows.
(Feel free to insert your own relative's names where appropriate.)

Dear ________:
I am your _________ and living in the late 20th century here in ________. I
am sitting in front of a microfilm projector (I'll explain what that is in a
later email) in a great research library run by really nice people trying to
decipher the small and shaky handwriting of your parish's curate. He must
have been either vertically challenged or had palsy - because it's
unreadable! At least I think it's your parish! I'm not even sure of the
decade! Thanks for leaving such a good paper trail. (Sarcasm intended.)

According to family legend, you and your wife ___________ had _____
children, some of whom lived beyond infancy. Yet not a single one was
recorded in the parish records! I can't even find your marriage
certificate. You two WERE married, right? Didn't you know that there would
be legions of people like me fanatically spending their waking hours and
small fortunes looking for any and all traces of your lives? Were you just
stubborn, couldn't afford the fees, or not members of the Established
Church? You're wondering, "What's all the fuss, we're dead as doornails?"

We're not sure, but I think down here we're infected with the same disease:
Rootsus
obsessionus. Of course, WE are going to leave better records for our
descendants! Anyway, I'm glad I was able to vent my frustrations upward.
If I couldn't do that, I'd have probably popped the obnoxious researcher
next to me who is right now translating an old record in German - and out
loud, for goodness sake!

I have an idea.... When I'm "dead-on" (pardon the expression) to finding the
correct record, give me some sort of sign. Make the projector bulb flicker
twice. Or, if it must be done in the privacy of my home, I have a cocker
spaniel. Talk through him. That will get my attention for sure. Thanks
for listening. I'll be better in the morning..... I'll be back at the
library tomorrow night for Round 14, so catch me there.

Sincerely, Your ____________________,
______________________________
Author unknown

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