Years after Commodore Bigelow's death I did pay another visit to America and, with his lovely daughter Rosalind, spent two nights in the Bellport House. Mr Bigelow's daughter-in-law, Stephanie, gave a cocktail party so that I could meet all his old friends and neighbours. It was the weirdest cocktail party in my life – me, 3,000 miles from home, every single guest a complete stranger to me – and they all knew me intimately! I have fondly decided that his neighbours came visiting to hear Mr Bigelow read the latest episodes in the Bournemouth Soap Opera, so perhaps I can believe that the letters did achieve their aim of relieving his loneliness.
FNW