‘Small World’ Department: Nice name

On April 8, ’03, the QE2 was making a port call at the island of St. Helena, where Napoleon had been exiled and where he died. Through the St. Helena Tourist Bureau I had obtained a car and driver for a tour of the main points of interest on this tiny island in the South Atlantic.

Returning to Jamestown, the capital and only town, I decided to shop. Entering Solomon & Co. Souvenir Store, I quickly found a box for my collection. On giving the clerk my credit card, she asked me, “Is this your name?”

I replied, “Is something wrong with my card?”

Once again she asked if that were my name. When I answered, “Yes. Why?,” she replied that there was a Norma Osborne living on St. Helena.

Shocked, I could think only to say, “Tell her the other Norma said ‘Hello’.”

Since returning home, I have made contact with (N)orma (J)oyce (O)sborne, exchanging several e-mails. Norma has since told me that she was born on St. Helena and has only been away a few times, traveling to Cape Town on the mail ship that stops once a month. There is no airport on the island.

(N)ORMA (J)EAN (O)SBORNE

Elkhart, IN