Friday, January 05, 2007

January 5th

January 5th
Part of story – out of context.

This is a special day for MTL and me; twenty eight years ago today, we were reunited after a separation of thirty years. I agonised about what to wear – one can change the impression one gives so easily but in the end it was cold so I wore my mink coat – this was the seventies remember and I had earned it by hard work in my business. We met at Charing Cross Station and he was reading a newspaper – apparently absorbed as he had appeared to be when Maddie and I had met him at his college, decades earlier. We repaired to Eleanor’s bar in the Charing Cross Hotel where he was staying.  He had a gin and I had a scotch or two and we talked.

  Later we had lunch and he said I would find he didn’t talk very much and from then on I could hardly get a word in edgeways.
We walked down to the river, still talking, had tea and then went to his room to freshen up and continued chatting through the bathroom door whilst he had a shave and I powdered my nose.  All we did was talk; we had thirty years to catch up on.  Neither of us was hungry so we walked and walked and talked and talked until it was time for my last train.

At our meeting we had given each other an ‘old friend type kiss on the cheek’ and at the end of the evening we again exchanged an O.F.T.K.O.T.C but he hugged me and held me close and sighed and as I rested my head against his chest I felt a momentary panic.  We parted knowing that this was not an ending but a beginning.

We consider five to be our lucky number.  My home was number five and so was MTL’s as was his cottage in Yorkshire.  We had five children between us and on our fifth meeting, after our reunion. we plighted our troth.  Our wedding date the 23rd of November was chosen to incorporate our lucky number, worked out by Maddie. I remember thinking – if we could just have ten years - but one grows greedy with the years and twenty eight years have gone by in a flash. We have been very lucky.

I’ll fill in the details later when the story has progressed so try to stick with it.  We have had a lot of carousing lately so we’ll spend the day quietly, pottering at home having a smile and a moan – comme d’habitude.

17 comments:

zoe said...

that is just so ..... beats euston station, i can tell you.

lovely, simply lovely.

Anonymous said...

It's so exciting! And so romantic of course. I can't wait for more installments... I have to say, I'm completely addicted to this story. Thanks so much for sharing.

Pat said...

Zoe: there is something about railway ststions though isn't there? Anna Karenina, Brief Encounter, Zoe, Pat...

lizzy: MTL said 'Are you going on from there?'
No! This was out of context because of the date. Back on track next week:)

apprentice said...

Well I'm glad it wan't a brief encounter, in every sense ;)!

And I glad you've had the time that you've had, and hope you have lots more happy years together.

I've been married 27 years too, and it does goes by in flash, and most of the time I want us to have more time together too, except when he's driving me bats!

Pat said...

apprentice: thank you and I hope you have many, many more years together. The man who doesn't occasionally drive one bats does not exist. Trust me!

Z said...

It is lovely to feel, through your writing, your deep happiness. Your enthusiasm for life has never been dampened, whatever ups and downs you've had.

I hope you're having a happy day together.

Z said...

It is lovely to feel, through your writing, your deep happiness. Your enthusiasm for life has never been dampened, whatever ups and downs you've had.

I hope you're having a happy day together.

Pat said...

Hi z: we are having a happy, quiet day and tomorrow are off to Cardiff for the ballet. And i'm on my sexond galss of xhamperws thet is champers. OK I can see the errors but you know what i\mean.

Alda said...

What a delightful story. Congratulations on your 'anniversary'.

Pat said...

Thanks Alda - nice to see you.

neena maiya (guyana gyal) said...

Meeting the right person, it's like all the jigsaw pieces falling into place, isn't it?

Oh, not just train stations...airports too :-)

Anonymous said...

Congrats, dear.

One of these days you must convince the MTL to allow his photo to be posted. We need to get a look at the lucky chap.

Cheers.

Pat said...

GG: yes - miraculous when it happens.


Randall: thank you - as Meatloaf might say - he'll do ANYTHING for me - but he won't do that. (Yet!)

Dr Maroon said...

Holy Smoke.
Congratulations Pat.
You ARE lucky.

Now,
I read this; "...old friend type kiss on the cheek..." and said to myself uhuh,
and then read this;
"... O.F.T.K.O.T.C..." and said Ahah! to myself.
I translated it as
'Our first true kiss of the...what? what could the last word be?
THEN I realised it was the old friend kiss on the cheek again.

Obviously the romance of the mink coat and the train station and the hotel room has flummoxed my mental faculties.

Pat said...

Hi Doc: 'Obviously the romance of the mink coat and the train station and the hotel room has flummoxed my mental faculties.' To say nothing of the New Year festivities? I'm only jealous!

OldLady Of The Hills said...

What a wonderful romantic post this is,...so sweet and so full of love in all that THAT word really actually means! How sweet that you are in your 28th year mow...life is good, isn't it?

Congratulations on your Anniversary on the 5th day....!

Pat said...

Oldoldladyofthehills: thank you so much. I value your opinion and hope life continues good for both of us.