Geoff Banks and Celesta Byrne met as part of an educational project to put British and American students in contact and they still keep in touch with each other.
Centenarians (百岁老人), Geoff Banks from Devon, Britain, and Celesta Byrne, from the US, started writing to each other at the age of 16 in 1938. The former engineer Geoff even kept in touch with Celesta during WWII. They, now, can talk to each other on the Internet.
They recently had their first call giving Geoff a break from putting pen to paper that he said he found difficult at his age. Despite having chatted for decades, the pair have only ever met twice-first in 2002 while Geoff visited New York at the age of 80, and then again two years later. Celesta was living in New Jersey at that time, and then she moved to live near family in Texas.
Geoff said, “I had worked abroad for a number of years but had not been to the US for some time. Celesta was in New Jersey, so we decided to meet up in New York for a short Christmas trip. We just talked about daily lives and our families. In one of my early letters, I sent her a copy of a British paper in 1953 which had Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation (加冕) on the front of it.”
Despite having such a special relationship, the pair deny there was ever any romance there. Both have been married, with Geoff’s wife having passed away in 2011. Geoff is now a great grandfather, having sadly survived his daughter but still having three sons scattered across the world and many more grandchildren.
They felt grateful to the educational project, which gave them the chance of being friends. They are friends, like people who live next door. They value their friendship and think it’s nice to hear friends’ voices.
4. How did Geoff know Celesta?
A.By a friend. | B.By joining in a party. |
C.By surfing the Internet. | D.By an educational program. |
5. What was Geoff before he retired?
A.A teacher. | B.A mechanic. | C.An engineer. | D.A soldier. |
6. Where did Celesta live when she met Geoff for the second time?
A.In New York. | B.In New Jersey. | C.In Texas. | D.In Devon. |
7. Which word can best describe the friendship between Geoff and Celesta?
A.Lasting. | B.Odd. | C.Complex. | D.Ordinary. |