There are millions of brain cells that contain memories of André. Many special memories in the heads of all people who knew André Joffe. They all produce evidence that we all share the same star dust – a matter I once discussed with André. There was The Byrds’ song Turn, turn, turn, played in André’s and Maggie’s house that afternoon after the funeral, a gathering of family and friends full of grief and yet with plenty of humorous thoughts of André.
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted...
It refers to that idea of eternity and reuse of new life.
And then there was the plant André once gave to grandmother Dina. She called it 'André'. Not ‘André’s plant’, no it was ‘André’. Like himself it was an easy creature, happy with the smallest thing you would give him. Just a few drops of water, which grandma happily offered every day she could. And when she could not get out of bed at the very end, she would ask others to water her plants: ‘Don’t forget André’.
After Dina died Reina took care of André’s vegetable offspring. Every cutting was named after Dina’s favourite plant, they all became new André’s. She gave them to our sons Simon and Philip, and last week, on Oom Bert’s birthday, she brought André’s to cousins Dirk, Willem and Bas.
Each of these beloved modest green creatures are widely spread evidences of André’s eternal life.
I have happy memories of the brunch we had with Oma when Andre gave her the spider plant cutting. We were still living in Gratton Road and were more used to visiting Oma in Holland than having her visit us in London. It's lovely to think of the cutting travelling all the way to Holland and plantlets being passed down through time.
ReplyDeleteInteresting to read that 'spider plants have the ability to clean the air' and that they come from South Africa. I wonder if Oma knew about the South African connection when she named it 'Andre'. Don't know about Andre being particularly 'easy' though - he had very expensive tastes! ;)
I love this piece and its whole premise of eternity and the reuse of life, and of us all sharing the same star dust. I think it is a truly beautiful tribute to André and deeply moving. I also very much like Maggie's memories of brunch with Oma and her pointing out the plant's South African connection. I have re-read it quite a number of times and am greatly touched by the closeness of André in it all. Thank you, both.
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