I saw your father today

> Dear M, Dear R, Dear B, and Dear W,
> It was wonderful to see him looking so well. As you know, his perfect, courtly, manners have survived all the challenges he's facing. He showed me his room and escorted me around his floor, speaking of one area (the dining room) as though it were a school. This was a bit confusing as the students appeared to be so old, but he was a gracious host if not a reliable guide. All the staff love him (and they all had very nice things to say about all of you). He seems quite happy at Hillside, having adopted a proprietary attitude toward the place: "We do this or that here", always "we", which I think betokens content and some degree of pride. He didn't complain about anything except once - when he said "It's too bad we have to get old". (Needless to say, I immediately expressed enthusiastic agreement.) When I brought up memories of events from the distant past - such as dancing to loud music from "Hair" in front of the fireplace in your house in Sherborne after too many martinis in the late 1960's - they seemed to spark a brief moment of recognition - visible in his expression - which however quickly trailed off into other unrelated remarks which I couldn't follow. Many terms and phrases from his years in the real estate business popped up in odd places: square footage, development, rental rates, easements, etc. which as far as I could tell didn't really relate to whatever we'd been talking about.
> It was a bittersweet experience - the bitter part attributable to what's been lost and the sweet part arising from the realization that so much of the essence of the man has survived. He is a very lovable man and I think you should all find some comfort in the fact that he appears to be comfortable and content in his current circumstances. I'm looking forward to my next visit.
> With much love, Uncle Frank

This is just so beautiful. Breaks and warms my heart at the same time. He has a way with words, my father.