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this came thrugh the Cornish list im on, and thought it was cute, enjoy...
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From: JJardcinc(a)aol.com
Message-ID: <a2cdd57d.35ad65f1(a)aol.com>
Date: Wed, 15 Jul 1998 22:31:06 EDT
Old-To: cornish-l(a)rootsweb.com, DUMFRIES-GALLOWAY-L(a)rootsweb.com,
NORFOLK-L(a)rootsweb.com, SUSSEX-PLUS-L(a)rootsweb.com, Phibyr(a)aol.com,
SCOTLAND-GENWEB-L(a)rootsweb.com
Subject: An Open Email to my "Upstairs" Relatives
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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
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 explanation what that is
in a later email) in a special library run by the LDS (nice people, but later
on them, too) 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 God's sake
(oops!)
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 Labrador
Retriever. Talk through her. 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 ___________,
John Jardine
Might tired in Cincinnati, Ohio
jjardcinc(a)aol.com"
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