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 “Downton Abbey” 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 Michael’s severe neurological condition and the death of Barbara’s father during the pandemic.
“She was my sounding board through that,” Barbara says. “I can honestly say there isn’t a subject that’s 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 don’t think I would have cultivated the friendship otherwise.”
Barbara finally met Pam in person when she and Jim traveled to London, England, in December 2023. “We met for a Spanish lunch, and the minute she came in, I knew it was her, and I hadn’t even seen a photo,” 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.
“We both enjoy writing,” Barbara says. “We occasionally will text on What’s App. But I think she enjoys the writing, and I do, too.”