Be Excellent To Each Other

Today I went to London, and what a day it was!

It was the memorial for my parents. I left Ivybridge at 09:30 gorgeous sunshine (nicest day of the year I reckon), and after a bus, a train, a train and a tube, I was at Sloane Square, I thought I would head over to where I used to live see how it had changed, and 1/2 way there I had this feeling that my flies were undone and they were, so I went to do them up, and they wern't just undone, but completey broken! Here I was in a suit and black tie, with my flies gaping wide. So I thought I'd head to a pub near the church where the service was going to be (20 minute walk) and try and fix the zip in the loo. But there was no joy, so cue me walking holding my jacket to cover my crotch so no one can see anything they shouldn't and me being all paranoid that someone one think I was suspicsious walking how I was!

Any way I got to the church grounds and the sun was still shining and as I was an hour early I was the first one there, so I sat down and remembered all the good times I'd had there (in the crypt mostly as a Cub, and Scout and a Youth Club that my mum helped to run there) and watching the really pretty girls taking short cuts through the grounds!

Eventually other people started turning up, Aunties, friends of the family and so on. It was so weird seeing all these people, mostly people I hadn't seen since I left London almost 9 years ago, but some I hadn't seen in 15 or 20 years! At one point I was almost overcome with emotion, as inevitably you think back to that time and living in the block of flats I did and seeing all the people I used to hang out with as a child and so on. It was then time to go in, and then my Uncle told my brother that my flies were undone! Argh! I'd forgotten to conceal it whilst I was getting all nostalgic, so if he'd seen who else had seen!?!

The service was really great, the priest gave a brilliant speech about my parents, you would have thought he knew them personally but he didn't (Credit must go to my brother there as he filled him in on the details, it would have been perfect if the old vicar was there to lead the service but he retired 2 years ago which was a shame). He kept the christian stuff down to a minimum which was nice. It didn't drag on too long, just the right length of time.

Then it was off down the pub for some nibbles and drinks, I was only able to stay for an hour or so as I had to get a bus, a train, and cab back home (Ivybridge to St Peters Eaton Square - 5 hours. St Peters Eaton Square to Ivybridge - 4 hours) but it was nice to catch up with some people, and it would be even nicer to stay in contact with them.

So a nice day all in all, just a shame it took somthing so tragic (you know it took me 4 attmepts to get that spelt correctly - I tried trajic, trajick and tradgic before I got to the correct spelling!) to bring it all about. So now I'm back home sweaty (the train home was packed and boiling) with a blister on my right heel (I think I've worn these shoes [and suit tbh] 5 times since I bought them 5 years ago) and with a picture of my Dad when he was about a year old! (WW2 was still going on then!)

Malc

I'm glad that the day was pleasant and all the little factors like the weather worked out fine. As you say, it's a shame that it sometimes takes a tragedy* to bring people together. If you have a good family it is a shame not to have a get together once in a while.

Have a hug -> (((((HUG)))))


*My stumbling word, too - I always write 'tradegy' - I did when typing that.

I like this story - poignant, and plenty of reality in it.

Glad it went well, and kudos to your brother for a bang-up job with the priest.

The vicar that delivered the eulogy for my dead Nan had similar skills reading and memorising the information that we'd given him about her. He also kept the Goddy stuff down to a bare minimum as our family are about as religious as a lettuce.

Glad your day went well anyway Malc, hopefully it'll act as a nice "bookend" for your memories regarding your parents