CHRISSI POLAND

This is a real conversation that took place in front of the house my mother was born in, outside London in Wimbledon. I stopped a woman on the sidewalk to ask if there was a public restroom nearby. What happened next will stay in my heart forever. To the best of my memory, the conversation went like this:

Me: “Excuse me, is there a public restroom in the Common?”

Gail: “What’s that, love?”

Me: “Looking for a restroom, maybe a café nearby?”

Gail: “There’s a lovely French café around the corner.”

Me: “Thank you, I’ll look for it.”

Gail: “Are you new to the neighborhood?”

Me: “No, I’m visiting… my mother was born right here in that house!”

Gail: “That’s lovely. God bless you.”  Another woman with a King Charles puppy walks by. We both smile.

Me: “Those are my favorite dogs.”

Gail: “Really? I used to breed them, Cavaliers they are.”

Me: “That’s amazing, I love them!”.

Gail: “I’m also a medium, a psychic…” She said this almost hesitantly, almost shy to offer up the information. At this point she smiled at me a bit, almost knowingly, then looked down, closed her eyes, looked up at me again, and looked past me. She seemed to be concentrating.

Gail: “So,  now you’re…who’s Joe?”

Me: “My best friend in New York.”

Gail: “Huh, hmmm. Who’s John?”

Me: “My ex-boyfriend.”

Gail: “Hmmm.” She seemed slightly unpleased with both my answers. We are still standing in front of the house. I suddenly got this feeling of absolute certainty.

Me: “I think those are the names of my great grandparents”.

Gail: “Yes, yes that’s right. It’s them. They are here. She says you have tiny feet like her. Joe..Josie?”

I am stunned.

Gail; “There’s a large woman, very big, heavy set, and there was heart pain, heart trouble. Heart attack?”

Me: “I’m not sure.” But I am wondering if that would describe Nana’s sister, Doreen. Later, Mom confirmed that the description fit Doreen without a doubt.

Gail: “And a woman, very beautiful, she wore her hair short, it’s dark. She’s very particular of the kind of food she serves. She likes to serve the same food for each different day of the week. She’s very stoic, she’s strong.”

Me: “I think that’s my Nana, when she was young. When she lived here with my mother and Uncle Frank.”

Gail: “Yes, yes.” Big time sting, now.

Gail: “I’m sorry! I hope you don’t mind, it’s just that when we started talking, they all sort of rushed me at once. They do that, you know. They want to get the message out.”

Me: “This is so amazing, is this real.”

Gail: “Oh yes, love. They’re always with us. Believe it. There’s a man here. He’s been with you all day. He’s bigger, not a lot of hair on top. There was pain for him here.” She puts her hands on her abdomen. “He’s very clever, extremely bright”.

Me: “It’s my grandfather, he was a scientist. He died of pancreatic cancer.”

Gail: “Yes, it’s him. He’s been with you all day, he’s been walking with you.”

Me: “I’ve always felt very connected to him.”

Gail: “Yes, you are. You know, at Christmas time, I have always noticed that there’s a particular glow about this house, stronger than the others on this street. I never understood why until now!” Gail began  to tear up and cry, and waved her hands at her face and laughed. “Oh, sometimes I cry, because their emotions go through to me. What they are feeling, I feel it too, it comes through the channel. They are so happy!”

I laughed through my own tears.

Me: “I’m going to come back here with my family one day, can we call you and visit with you?”

Gail; “Of course! It’s a blessing. You’re going to be very successful.”

Me: “Thank you, Gail. This means so much to me.”

Gail: “It’s a gift for me. They are all here today, believe it!”

I give her a big hug, and she begins to scoot away.

Gail: “God bless you!”, she calls out again, over her shoulder. I watch her as she goes, and I see her swirl her hand over her head, and I know what she means, that they are all around me right now, and to believe it. It’s as if she knows I’m watching her scoot away.