I miss Diana a lot. After she found out that she had cancer in August, 1998, I would visit her almost every day. I would bring her what she asked for; beer, martini, the Gazette weekends and sometimes, even cigarettes. I was fascinated and attracted to Diana -probably my wife in another life-.

I had never met an older woman like Diana. What attracted me was her forthrightness, her great courage, her lack of respect for the authorities, for the powers that be, her quasi anarchist analysis and spirit, her Buddhist perspectives on life and of course, I was in total agreement.

In a bizarre way, Diana was the mother I would have liked to have. For my mother was exceptionally conventional, very respectful of medical and other authorities, fearful of difference and frozen in deference to respectability and normality. For my mother, my worst quality was my "abnormality". My mother's personality was the opposite of Diana's.

Diana was a women of exceptional intelligence, memory, curiosity and courage. She could discern the truth in spite of the massive and daily mountain of misinformation of the mass media. And she was always on the side of the weaker ones, the victims. She was for the myriad victims of the British empire, from Egypt to India, and not for the Empire of the country where she was born. She was not keen on Anglo-Saxons, in spite of being one herself and fond of the Jews except the Zionists who displaced the innocent Palestinians. Diane was a globalist and had unconditional solidarity for the oppressed of our planet.

Diana knew what was essential in life: the simple pleasures of her delightful small coop apartment, eating and drinking, friendship, and above all reading, writing and listening to the radio.

Every night Diana would listen to the radio until 3 A.M. listening to all the national newscasts from countries all over the world, from Finland to Australia.

Diana was a very literate person, a self-taught woman with little formal education. She had a fine collection of books which she had read. She would write long 20 page letters to her sister in a wheel chair in England as well as to her many friends all over the world. She also had a remarkable collection of sayings of wise people.

Of course, like us all, Diana was not perfect. She was too self-effacing and she could have loved herself more. She thanked me profusely for the small favors I did her in bringing her the paper and beer. She was over scrupulous in repaying me the exact amount for the Gazette and beer. She insisted in paying for her own tea when I invited her to the Croissanterie after a chance meeting at La CitÈ. I felt she had difficulty in receiving.

Diana often used strong language calling people, sometimes close relatives, "swine". This upset me and I could never figure out why she said that.

And lastly, and tragically, Diana Wahba King, was ambivalent about staying among the living. Diana starved herself to death. She refused an artificial feeder. And she refused an acupuncture treatment I had offered her -one that had helped me greatly- and a magic masseuse, Brigitte, who was willing to massage Diana at her place.

Diana knew what she was doing until the end. Goodby Diana. May you rest in peace. Until our next life together!

And as they say in England: IT WAS A PLEASURE TO KNOW YOU, DIANA.

Love.

© Robert Silverman 2000