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Letter from Truus Oostdam
To her parents, I.H. and C.G. Boelsma
Date : July 29, 1935
Amsterdam, July 29, 1935
Dear Father and Mother
Saturday evening we received your letter from Bentheim, in which you wrote that you are so glad that Ben's Mother had improved somewhat. Well, in my last letter you will have read otherwise, and now it is even worse,
Saturday evening at 11 p.m. our darling Mother departed forever. We have not been allowed to see her back alive, because within 10 minutes it was all over. She died without having regained consciousness. Philip came to get us and we raced our bikes there but were 10 minutes late.
They are all happy for Ben that he missed it because it must have been horrible to see. The poor darling was so short of breath. But Ben himself thinks it was terrible that he was not there with her.
I do not believe Mother herself understood that she was going and that's a good thing because she always was most worried to have to say goodbyes, which now she did not have to do.
It all came still rather unexpectedly, because even that afternoon when the Doctor was there he did not think it necessary to call us.
We just cannot imagine or understand it all now. Ben is unnaturally calm, and did not shed one tear.Father is sad to see, even though he keeps up a front. Ben spends day and nioght with him because he finds it scary to be all alone. Wednesday is the funeral.
Ben's father wants to get out of the house as soon as possible. so that we are planning to go to Putten after all and will take him along. He is excited about the thought to go for walks with Benny, because, Oh, you should have seen how sweetly he played with Benny yesterday: that will be a good solace for him, I hope.
I am very sorry that you are not here, because now I do not have any place to go. Sunday Benny and I spent the whole day at Martha's but hese kids make a terrible racket together, so that today and tomorrow I will be alone because Ben has to stay with his Father.
Well, guys, I hope you will enjoy yourself and I will enquire at the "Spreng". I think we will go as soon asThursday or Friday. We'd enjoy seeing you there a few days and also on Benny's birthday, because (although?) I am not in the mood for that.
Lyda van der Stam has passed her exam, I kept on forgetting to write that.
Till we meet again and best regards from the three of us
your Truus
BLO fecit 20011105 - - index of letters
