Helga was a workmate of mine. She had been a handcraft instructor in elementary school for years and when she stopped working there she started working in the National Museum.
We started there at the same time and we soon became friends. Helga was very well read and she was like some Icelanders, she knew all about families. She could tell you who was who and go many hundred years back.
She told me many things. She told me how houses had been moved away from the aria where the Brits were building the airport in Reykjavik in world war 2. She had seen it with the own eyes.
We had a lot of fun together, looking at exhibitions together especially after we had stopped working in the museum. We were invited to all openings.
Helga had a big birthday and I visited her. At the time I could not go anywhere without mum on weekends and mum was welcome with me.
I also took mum visiting and she was welcome. Believe me you find out what kind of people your friends are when you have a sick mother like that.
Helga's health became frail and the last time I met her she was at the nursing home where mum is. I had no idea then that this would be the last time we spoke.
You say hello and you say good by many times in your life.
When I was at the hospital I saw the paper. In it there were many articles by friends about Helga. This is mine. I want to thank Helga for everything. She was a solid and good human being.
I dreamed that Helga was not happy because I had not attended her funeral and I was explaining that I had been very sick in hospital and had not known this.
She understood. Helga was 79 years old.
