One of Barbara Long’s most cherished friendships came about in a way she never anticipated.
The Evansville resident and her husband, Jim, planned a trip to Great Britain in May 2020 for their 20th anniversary, with a highlight being a โDownton Abbeyโ day at filming location Highclere Castle.
The COVID-19 pandemic nixed those plans, but in the process, Barbara communicated often with Pam Frye, who founded travel agency British Heritage Chauffeur Tours with her husband, Michael.
As the two women traded many emails about rescheduling, a friendship blossomed. Discussions went deep, with topics including Michaelโs severe neurological condition and the death of Barbaraโs father during the pandemic.
โShe was my sounding board through that,โ Barbara says. โI can honestly say there isnโt a subject thatโs out of bounds. Family, politics, we talk about it all. I think it was one of the really good things that came out during the pandemic for me. I donโt think I would have cultivated the friendship otherwise.โ
Barbara finally met Pam in person when she and Jim traveled to London, England, in December 2023. โWe met for a Spanish lunch, and the minute she came in, I knew it was her, and I hadnโt even seen a photo,โ she says.
For the most part, the friendship remains rooted in email. Barbara and Pam have traded 160 or so, and Barbara has saved each one.
โWe both enjoy writing,โ Barbara says. โWe occasionally will text on Whatโs App. But I think she enjoys the writing, and I do, too.โ
