My oldest son begins his fourth and final year at university next week. His third year was spent on placement at a firm. He should have finished there two months ago but the powers that be asked if he would like to stay for the extra months. He said yes. His last day was on Friday and he had a night out with his co-workers. On his behalf I felt overwhelming sadness. Sadness that we all have felt. This would be the last time he would see some of these people in his life. We move on, we always move on and left behind are persons, good and bad.
In the months, years ahead he’ll come across a few of the individuals that have figured prominently in his life in the last months or so. A chance meeting on a bus, a casual encounter in a street and memories will come flooding back. As so often happens it’s the ones you weren’t fond of who bump into you. The ones that inspired you, educated you, made you laugh can vanish into the ether. There’s not enough space to fit them into your life. Because real life isn’t like Facebook. You can’t have 1,000 friends. You would never have the time to do anything with that many contacts.
It is not just in employment that you can lose touch with ones that left an impression. It can happen in any part of your life. As an ex-amateur football player of many clubs I have played, showered, drank, laughed, argued, and occasionally fought, with many a human being on my travels in this environment. It’s been a pleasure to come across some of these acquaintances as time passes; the team-mates of old, opponents, coaches, passers-by that watched and bantered from the sidelines. It is revealing to hear their take on history and what they are up to now.
Gently nudging him beforehand, I advised my son to take plenty of photographs of his work colleagues. As time goes on this would be a reminder of where he was at this particular point. It would also be a closing chapter for a few of these faces. Faces that eventually would not even have a name to them as time blurs the memory. Unless, he happens to perchance upon them -future-wise- in that random, haphazard way that is one of the vagaries of this existence we call life.
Boadicea's Chariot 
Mark Knopfler – now there’s a musician! 😀
Couldn’t play a note on a one string broom guitar even if they paid him a million dollars to give it a try! 😦
Give me Peter Frampton anytime 🙂
Here are some before and after shots of Peter proving that not all of us felt as he did 🙂
Donald, you philistine. Mr. Knopfler is a fine exponent of the instrument, as is Mr. Clapton
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQVvF0AeRLI
OZ
Bearsy, your jocular comment has broken the spell of melancholy that had descended on me. Yeah, Knopfler wrote a few good tunes but has he ever…
A) won three Ivor Novello awards for song writing.
B) wrote an album with an opera diva.
C) grew a moustache.
D) danced and sang with the Royal ballet.
E) filled his garden pond with Japanese Koi carp.
F) sang with a vocal range of four octaves. F2-F6.
G) appeared on a Royal mail stamp.
H) sold ice-creams at a musical in London during the interval.
I) cavorted in a leotard.
J) had as many videos shown on Boadicea’s Chariot as the guy with the big teeth.
I could go on but I don’t know what comes after J. W, I think. 🙂
A) to I) – Not as far as I know.
J) – yes, he probably has – and if he hasn’t we’ll soon change that.
But
He can juggle, and
.
.
.
.
he ain’t a Marmite-bandit. 😆
Lovely thoughts, JW
PS I can’t always hear which words Mark K is singing, but the songs are fantastic and Dire Straits are brilliant. 🙂
Nice one, Bearsy. I take it we’re both just killing time as it’s raining in Kandy.
For your information Freddie was not one of those bandits. Never did he dabble in the dark arts of homosexuality except just the once. Desperate and with an upset stomach, the only loo handy was a gay toilet so needs must. Unfortunately, he caught a disease from the seat as old wives tales predict. Not a lot of people know that. 🙂
No, not a lot of people know that, ‘cos it’s a load of spherical objects! 🙂
Yes, and it looks as though it’s going to rain for the next two days, an’ all. Brad and Mitch should be used as lightning conductors after their performance. 😥
But didn’t Swampy junior do well; and old Mr Cricket? 😀
Hussey has been on top form here. The young swamp done well too.
That’s a shame that thunder storms are predicted spoiling your chance of victory. Much as I’m an England supporter I would like to see a competitive Aussie side. It does get boring winning all the time. 🙂
Grr! 👿
Alright, let’s stir things up then. Having been bored stupid watching England and Argentina missing penalty kicks galore, I will throw Brian May’s hat into the ring. Great guitarist and he has a Ph.D. in Astrophysics! He was even at London University at the same time as I was, albeit in that upmarket suburban polytechnic in Kensington! 🙂
Not a lot of people believe it either, royalist.