Just a quick note to let you know that my father passed away last weekend in Lapaz, Bolivia. His cancer returned with a vengeance (he had had a major operation about 8 years ago) and left him with no chance of surviving.
I have enclosed a translation of a nice article about my Dad written by a Bolivian satirist and social commentator.
Kind regards,
Carlos Calvo 09/02/07
It is with deep sorrow that I have to transmit this note to you to announce the demise of Charles Calvo from La Paz Bolivia
He was at Belmont Kemble between 1954 and 1959
He had a very business orientated life, first with the London office of Rio Tinto, then he joined his family in La Paz handling his family's hotel business with his late brother George who also left us a few years ago. George was at Cantilupe during the same years.
They had a Coca Cola franchise for Bolivia and this kept them busy and Charles had interests in the largest winery in Bolivia He entered politics in the early 90's and was Minister for Finance of Bolivia Recently he was for some years president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Bolivia.
Let us all remember him in our prayers
Regards
John G Dacoutros - Malta 17/02/07
Kemble 1956 - 1958
Farewell, Carlos 6th February, 2007 By Paulovich
I arrived at the Garden Cemetery after everyone had left - I had a flower in my hand and a tear in my eye. The gravedigger said to me, "You've arrived too late, sir". I answered, "It's never too late to say goodbye to someone who has died, because for them time no longer exists". And so I placed my flower together with the thousands of others that covered the grave.
The gravedigger asked me if Carlos Calvo Galindo had been my friend. "I couldn't tell you if he was my friend exactly because we never sought each other out, nor did we call each other on the telephone; but we always seemed to find each other and I think a friendship between two people is about finding each other, a chance encounter that makes both people happy without the need for an embrace. The simple gravedigger then asked me if Carlos Calvo had been my confidant and I explained that no, Carlos had not been my confidant because we never exchanged secrets or intimacies. No, Carlos Calvo was never my confidant and I don't know if he was anyone else's.
We sat down on the grass and the gravedigger wanted to know a little more about the friendship between Carlos Calvo and this man who had arrived late for the funeral. He asked if the deceased had been an important figure in the country. I answered, "The man lying beneath these flowers was the Minister of Finance and, for a time, held the financial destiny of this country in his hands - he was an honest and patriotic Minister. Here the gravedigger interrupted me to say, "Your friend was certainly an unusual character; because I know of many Finance Ministers who made themselves very rich by the time they left office!" And I answered, "I also knew those Ministers, but Carlos was an honourable and moral citizen, and that is why he was my friend and that is why I have come to say goodbye.
When I told the gravedigger that Carlos Calvo had also been a Senator and President of the Banco Mercantil, the gravedigger said to me, "So I guess your friend Carlos must have lent you money for your business?" I answered calmly, "You are wrong my friend, because our friendship was of a different type and money played no part in it.
"And do you know his relatives?" asked the gravedigger. I told him that I had known his father, who was also called Carlos and I know his mother, a beautiful lady called Aida Galindo; I also know his wife, who was a journalist like me, and married Carlos when he was a Minister - her name is Maria Angelica Kirigin: I also knew Carlos's aunt, Chepita Galindo and his cousin, Jorge Romecin Galindo. For all of these I leave here a fond memory and a warm embrace.
It was now time to close the cemetery and the gravedigger came with me to the gates to see me out, saying "I hope you see your friend again soon," to which I replied "Please! I hope it's not too soon!"
*Paulovich is the pseudonym of a Bolivian satirist and social commentator.
