YesBut is this It? - Part 1

For YesBut’s Image on 19th July 2007, Brian in Oxford 's suggested the caption -

"Not fags. We've bags. Get used to it!"

The photo suggested the following story to me:

He thought, “After 68 years, is this all I have to look forward to? The highlight of my day, going shopping with my wife and grandchildren”.

“I really looked forward to retirement, I imagined it would give me freedom to do what I liked, and importantly, I wouldn’t have to get up at 6:15 each morning”.

“But the anticipation was far better than the realisation. OK, I was only a Foreman of a small group of men, but I had their respect. I think even the managers valued my opinion. But as soon as I retired, I became ‘yesterday’s man‘. I went back to visit the old work place a couple of times, but it was obvious they were, for some reason, embarrassed to see me.”

“In the house, I feel I’m only in the way. Its my wife’s domain, and she isn’t prepared to share it with me. We’ve been married over forty-five years, but to be honest we haven’t been intimate for - well lets say a long time. At best we only tolerate each other, the only thing we share is the love for our daughter and grandchildren.”

“Even when I go around to my daughter’s house to see the kids, I feel uncomfortable, especially if Terry, Jane’s husband is around. We don’t get on, I know its mainly my fault, I can’t keep my mouth closed and speak my mind.”

“If it wasn’t for little Darren and Lucy - well I’m not sure what I’d do. Sometimes I think its not worth carrying on. What have I got to look forward to? Perhaps if I’m lucky seven more years, then drop dead from a heart attack. If I’m unlucky fourteen years, the last two in a old peoples home, sitting in the corner doped up to the eyeballs with tranquillisers, incontinent and unloved.”

“And after I’m dead, will anybody remember me? Perhaps my daughter. Hopefully the grandchildren, but I doubt it, I’ll just fade in their memory as they start thinking about their own children and partners. Partners, I hate that word, why not husbands and wives?”

A voice brought him back to the present moment. “Dad, we’re going for a coffee, we’ll see you tomorrow”.

He nodded his head in acknowledgement. “I’m not even asked if I would like to join them. I’m just the bag carrier”.

To be continued tomorrow - Bookmark this page.