Dear Marion,

Margrit thinks you're wonderful (so do I but for
different reasons).  Your telephone intervention
had a euphoric effect and has precipitated for
her the blossoming of a new spring, even before
the onset of winter. Margrit told with much enthusiasm
that you had made diligent inquiry of Friends Homes at
Guilford and that you now knew more about the institution
than did she, moreover that you had offered to advance
the $23000 entrance fee to spare Margrit the need of
having to ask me for the funds.

Klemens and I agreed that we should supply her with
an additional 100 tablets of metronidazole 250 mg,
to have available on her (hypothetical) prospective
travels in the event that her diarrhea requires
additional medication.  I will purchase this medication
from the Cosco Pharmacy in Waltham, which is closed on Sunday.
I prefer to submit the prescription by telephone so
as not to be required to wait when I pick it up.
In order to have the metronidazole on hand, I asked
for the date when she planned to leave. She couldn't
remember and looked it up. On December 8, she said,
without specifying a time, not to mention a flight
number. I have no evidence that she's made any
reservation. Her engagement calendar bears the legends:
Dec 8 leave a.m.; Dec 9 arrive in Detroit;
Dec 11 go to airport + spend; Dec 12 flight from Detroit.

Let your imagination fill in the details: Raul Kirby will
meet her at TriCities Airport on Dec. 8, drive her to
the house and open the garage door for her. She will drive
to the B&B in Rugby VA, quite possibly in the dark. The
next morning, Dec 9, she will meet Russell Kirby, pack
her clothes, ask Russell to carry them downstairs, pack
suitcases, duffel bags and paper bags in the non-existent
trunk space, drive off with Russell 600 miles to Detroit
to arrive there on the same day. December 10 is a wasted
day; nothing happens. On December 11, she goes to the
Detroit airport to spend the night sleeping on the benches
so that she can catch the early morning flight on Dec 12
to Florida and the Caribbean cruise. Or has she forgotten
that in Konnarock she has to pack and from Konnarock be
driven to Detroit - Chance of rain or snow showers 40
to 50%. Margrit's engagement calendar further bears
the legend on Dec 22 - Dec 23: overdraft at m.s.u. b+b pd.
I infer this to be a reference to a check on the Michigan
State University Federal Credit Union to a Bed and Breakfast
establishment which was not covered by available funds. I
conclude that Margrit's finances are not in good order.
Given her impaired mentation, I don't see how it could be
otherwise.

What do do? Am Anfang war die Tat. Far be it from me to
instruct you, or even to suggest to you what you should
discuss with Margrit, what you should say to her. Whatever
it takes to keep her happy, is fine with me. If your 
cheerful voice could sustain her euphoria indefinitely
I would use all my not inconsiderable connections to
assure you a luxury apartment - or even a private villa -
in Paradise. Religious conversion is not required. But
please keep me informed, to the extent that your conscience
permits you, of the thoughts and plans that my sister
confides to you.

My own strategy is as follows: Tomorrow I will pick up the
metronidazole from Cosco so as to have it on hand if and
when Margrit asks me to take her to the airport next Tuesday.
I've changed the two appointments with patients, so that
nothing will stand in the way. But I will not ask her
about her plans, will not point out to her the practical
impossibilities that I anticipate. There is a substantial
possibility that she will forget, and that her memory loss
will prevent her taking the Caribbean cruise. If she does
get to Konnarock, I will have Jeane turn on the heat and
the water, so that she will be warm in the house. If the
oil burner continued to function, she might spend some
of the winter in Konnarock. That would not be the worst
resolution. I will instruct Russell Kirby, Roald Kirby
and Jeane Walls, that if Margrit does not succeed in
getting packed and leaving for Detroit, and does not
want to stay in Konnarock, they should put her on a
plane and send her back to Boston, where I would meet
her at the airport. If she gets back to Detroit, I 
will try to keep in touch with her by telephone, and
when she gets in trouble there, fly to Detroit and
bring her back to Boston, if it's not too late.

I'll mail this now to bring you up to date. More later.
Jochen