Heron Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia

Monday 4 May 2015

Sunshine at the Bank

No, not a weather forecast, either literally or financially, but a person.

To be specific, someone I must have been at school with, and referred to in a letter from a mutual friend found in a box full of old letters starting over 40 years ago, uncovered in the process of de-cluttering (finally!) my storage cupboard.

It was an unsettling experience to realise I had actually forgotten some of the people writing to me, not to mention many of the people they referred to; and even more so, as I re-read them, to think of all the could haves, would haves, should haves of different points in the past.

Less unsettling, perhaps, to marvel at how we actually managed to make arrangements to meet and to keep in touch in the days when you either needed to find a landline or phone box, or to send a letter or a post-card; and if, as they would, something went wrong, another exchange of cards or letters would be winging their way backwards and forwards.

There was no great loss in consigning so much trivia to the shredder; but some names and faces had re-emerged from the mists of memory - including, eventually, someone not exactly blessed with the sprightliest sense of humour, who eventually went into something financial.

2 comments:

  1. I get this too; I find it disturbing.

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  2. What did you do with the re emerging bodies? Excavate them as in getting in touch? I have similar problems, always have had, actually. Once I’ve moved on that’s it, I lose touch (and interest too, sadly)
    Sometimes I regret that, I wouldn’t mind knowing how some people got on. But I know that my new found interest would be temporary, and so of little purpose.

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