Mrs. Lorraine Triplet

I introduced myself to Lorraine Triplet on the phone and we started talking about Covid19 immediately. When asked if she has experienced anything like the virus in her life she responded "No, never, never, never." She is concerned about people's health but also very much about the financial strain that people are now feeling. She mentioned she was recently talking to her daughter about the situation and had many memories she shared with her about the Great Depression. Mrs. Triplet was born in 1928 and raised in New Rochelle, she said she has seen a lot of changes take place, she remembers the trolley cars running thru downtown. She remembers during the depression their rent was $25.00, they used oil lamps and they got their water from a well. "Everyone knew and helped each other, everyone left their doors unlocked." She felt fortunate during the depression that her father had a big garden and raised a lot of vegetables, they also had beautiful grape vines and they all helped to take care of the garden. She remembers everyone experienced hard times and there was dried milk and horse meat being sold in the store.
When we talked about the other viruses and flus she has experienced in her life she said her mother's brother died from the Spanish Flu. She also remembers clearly when Roosevelt's funeral train passed thru New Rochelle. The train was bringing Roosevelt's body from Washington to New York and she remembers her whole family went to the train station to watch the train pass and pay their respects (the train slowed down as it passed thru each station). She also added she had tuberculosis when she was five but not a very bad case.
"Stay on the porch and let the sun hit you" was the cure she said laughing.
Mrs. Triplet is very grateful now that she can stay safely in her apartment with the help of Meals-on-Wheels "I don't know what I would do with out you." She feels safe leaving a bag on her door for the volunteer to fill with her daily meal. She misses seeing the volunteers each day, she especially misses a group that delivered to her every week from the ARC of Westchester. (This is an agency that supports teens and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities). She loved when this group came each week because some of the girls loved to greet her with a big hug. Mrs. Triplet said "I looked forward to their visit and would say come give me my hug, we all had a nice laugh." Mrs. Triplet mentioned the importance that her religion has in her life "I think all of the volunteers will be rewarded for the good work that they are doing" she said.
As we were saying goodbye and I thanked Mrs. Triplet for her time, she said "If you ever deliver in my building, pop your head in when this is over and I can meet who I was talking to.”

Interview via phone by Maureen Palotta, May, 2020

Lorraine (R) with volunteer Ann Marie Peterson (L)