The saddest story
Joyce Carol Vincent: How could this young woman lie dead and undiscovered for almost three years? Read it in The Observer.
12 Responses to “ The saddest story ”
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Personal blog of Jessica Zafra, author of The Collected Stories and the Twisted series
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December 20th, 2011 at 14:02
Every minute that we shed cells, we are slowly transforming into a different person. What connects us to the 5 yr old, teenager and adult versions of ourselves are the memories kept and remembered. It’s fascinating how these people try to piece together a person they once knew. I hope she won’t be forgotten.
“But give me to a rambling man. Let it always be known that I was who I am”—Rambling Man, Laura Marling
December 20th, 2011 at 21:12
Nakakapraning ang kuwentong Ito ha. Nakapagisip-isip tuloy ako.
December 20th, 2011 at 21:14
I was stunned by this story. I wonder why the dead woman’s immediate family never looked for her those three long years of not hearing from her. In the Philippines, family ties are stronger than in first world countries so this is not as likely to happen here unless a person, intentionally or not, lost contact with his family. Friends, not matter how close, nor lovers, no matter how intimate, may not give a damn if they don’t see you for a long time but never your family. The Filipino family does not disregard or forget its immediate members just like that. We are very lucky in that respect.
December 20th, 2011 at 23:06
For those of us who live alone and are essentially loners or at least introverts, what are the best ways to avoid falling ill (or worse, dying) alone without anyone else knowing and being able to offer timely help?
December 20th, 2011 at 23:31
Grief for those left behind. May she rest in peace.
December 21st, 2011 at 01:49
Could it be that she wanted it that way? To never bother anybody with her presence, with her existence, anymore or ever, and so had set up the stage for her departure, with the way she lived and dealt with people? Is it possible that her’s was a story of triumph? I can’t shake the feeling that once she got over the sadness of her existence, once she realized that she’s not going to win in life, she decided to play a game of “catch me if you can” with it – and won. There’s an eerie dignity in the way she exited life.
She’s what one may call a “true ninja.”
December 21st, 2011 at 02:05
“with telly still on”? so who paid her bills in the last 3 years?
December 21st, 2011 at 13:40
Maybe their electric company isn’t like Meralco, or they just forgot to cut off the power.
December 21st, 2011 at 13:45
civilizemaya: What an interesting theory. You should develop that into a story.
December 21st, 2011 at 14:10
“with telly still on”? –hindi nag-overheat?
December 21st, 2011 at 22:03
It’s easy romanticize her death, and what led to it. But because of how she had lived her life (what little known of it) and the accounts by the people who know her, why and how she died will always remain a gripping enigma.
December 22nd, 2011 at 07:04
precisely my question, tita. if that happened here, the whole shelter would have been incinerated in two days’ time. or maybe the tv was on auto shut/on mode. anyway, it is sad that her death was discovered only after 3 years, something that would probably not happen in the Phils. because we’re a naturally curious (read: tsismosa) people. what i find interesting though was the way she seemed to have lived her life: unburdened by a husband, boyfriend or partner, or even kids, she was able to bask in the limelight as well as get around in anonymity. and so she was able to die the way she did – unlamented, unheralded, seemingly in peace, with her favorite tv show on.