It was late into the year of 1970 and the weather outside was cold, very cold but inside that pub it was warm and welcoming and, thankfully, the conversation was convivial as we had a smoke whilst imbibing our favourite tipples. No standing outside to smoke in all weathers in them days.
A vision in hot pants
Inside the pub Mungo Jerry was extolling the virtues of women and the British summertime while brass monkeys were freezing their probverbial's off outside. We squaddies watched as the women danced while our egos picked out the woman of our desires...to use for one night only of course because when it comes to egos we men know they wont let us down, will they?
My eyes went straight to a vision in hot pants who was expertly dancing the evening away and I wanted more of her, my ego told me that it was possible after all.
Hot pants were all the rage in the late sixties and early seventies and with good reason, they accentuated the body beautiful and no woman can resist that that flatters them and their egos, yes, women have egos too, don't you know. So I did the manly thing and 'chatted her up' in between dances under the strains of that magical musical era that was the seventies.
Five foot two, eyes of blue. (Has anyone seen my gal.)
Ego aside even I was surprised when my then future wife kept coming back to me in between dancing with other men and I thought thoughts that only young men think...I'm in there!
Needless to say I wasn't 'in there' in any sense of the phrase and it took many months before I got even close to being 'in there.'
At that time Beryl worked as a chambermaid at the Windsor Castle Hotel and I resided at Victoria Barracks just around the corner.
That evening Beryl asked me if I was up for a party??? Bloody hell yes I was up for a party as it would keep me in the company of my desire. It was at that party that my ego went into overdrive.
At the party, in one of her friends rooms, Beryl was the life and soul of it and it was clear that she was having a good time, she talked and danced with everyone and my ego took a battering as I felt surplus to requirements and it was when she got up close and personal with an Italian waiter that I knew that I was not the center of her world tonight, and, on reflection, why should I be, we only met a few hours ago. I took my leave* of the party thinking I'd never meet her again...I was wrong, dead wrong.
It would be January '71' before I met her again, quite by chance.
addendum
Some readers of this blog may be excused for thinking "what the hell is this all to do with Alzheimers?" Well I will agree with you but I have a need to rationalise my possition through my past, and Beryl's past to try and fathom out the future, if that's possible. For example Beryl remembers nothing of our first meeting back then and she remembers nothing about our marriage in '71' but I have a need to remember for both of us. Please bear with me.
*Something happened before I left the party that shames me and I am reluctant to mention it but will do at a later date in this blog when I can summon up the courage.
To be continued...
Lovely thoughtful post TBY. Thanks for writing. I look forward to reading more as and when you can post
ReplyDeleteThanks Pat, your comment makes my ramblings about Alzheimers worth writing about and I will try with all my might not to deviate to other subjects that are close to my heart, like smoking and denormalisation. They will be mentioned however as my writings on the subject progress as when I was growing up smoking was never 'airbrushed' out and I will not 'airbrush' out the truth to make it more palatable to the reader either.
ReplyDeleteThank you Pat.
TBY
Deviate as much as like TBY for that is in essence life itself.
ReplyDeleteJust sittin' here quietly next to you TBY, as promised. Great writing.
ReplyDeleteWrite away maestro, we are agog an await events to be unfolded!
ReplyDeleteThanks guys and gal, you are all inspiring me to write and face the real world, a world that can be as cruel as it can be kind.
ReplyDelete