Yesterday was Sarah’s memorial service. It was a really nice tribute to her, there must have been a hundred people there. When they opened up the mike I got up and this is the story I told about Sarah,
Sarah and I knew each other through our moms. They’ve been in the same consciousness raising group for almost 40 years. That came in really handy when we were each studying Women’s Studies, it gave us clout in class and we really appreciated that. How many people have moms who are THAT COOL?
When I came out, which is a pretty scary experience for everyone I think, I came home to Ann Arbor one weekend to tell my family and friends. Sarah was the first person I called, even before I told my mom. I called and asked her if we could go for a walk and she said sure and we went for a walk and I said, “Sarah, I’m bisexual.”
“Congratulations, Sonya!” she said.
Another of her friends told the story of when they were kids they would make up a mystery and then drive around on their banana-seat bikes interviewing the trees as witnesses until they figured out who did it.
All the members of the consciousness raising group came, and some brought their daughters. One woman that I hadn’t seen since we were both on our mama’s laps during Group asked me what I did for a living. “I’m a librarian,” I said. She laughed, “I could have guessed that.” “Yeah,” I replied, “Destiny.”
Sarah’s mom, Bobbi, is the one who sent out an email to the entire staff of the U of M law library when I published last year and said, “Look! Diane’s daughter is in Library Journal! And I used to babysit for her when she was just an infant!”
Most of my friends don’t have kids, but I hope I’ll have that kind of camaraderie with them when we’re in our 50’s and 60s.
Thanks, everyone, for your kind words and emails.
Plum Librarian LLC 