Summer 2oo2
I was sitting in a cafe bolted to the side of a mountain in Greece, I was looking into the darkness of the night sky.
I turned to Roy and asked him what the secret of his many years of marriage was.
He stirred his cappuccino and replied he got a strong sense early on that Margret was never going to let it fail.
This conversation was about 15 years ago, at that time they’d been married about 4o years.
At the time I was in halfway between shell-shocked and reflective.
My mother had not long since passed and my Dad spent his days walking around looking stunned and lost.
I knew I had no idea how my Dad felt but I kept trying to guess.
Besides, it was easier to think about his heartache because I did not have to think about mine.
Summer 2017
This week I was thinking about that time we were all in Greece, I was even listening to my ‘song’ from that trip.
The song I played standing on the top of Marathon in Greece, hoping I’d find someone like Roy had. (I did BTW)
I remember sitting at the back of the coach gazing as acres and acres of olive trees shot by.
My ‘uplifting house and garage music’ dropped more euphoria into my head.
The Email
Tuesday Roy emailed that Margret had passed away.
After 50 years of one of the most amazing marriages, I will ever know.
Margaret died had this week and can still feel her hugs, she was one of my mums best mates.
After my mum died every time I did something dumb I’d expect a sour look Margret would instead give out hugs.
It taught me a lot about how we react to each other as humans.
When I see people with signs saying “free hugs’ I think of Margret.
When Lorena came along Margret had known her ten minutes and already it seemed like ten years.
Never Let Me Go
I have never stopped thinking about Roy’s reply.
Cheeky coffees with a side of whisky or port with Roy are some of the most important words I’ve had in my life.
I know they are important now because they have stayed with me for so long.
For meMargaret was somewhere between Julia Child and Maria Montessori
In the late 1970’s Margaret won a Ford Capri for being the best Tupperware party organiser in Essex.
I never saw the car but I’ve always been both delighted and jealous.
I love Tupperware and these days I’d love to have Ford Capri more than ever.
