Not to be forgotten

“Come on Sean” said Anne his mother putting on her black very expensive Gucci boots “Come on! Nanna and Granddad will not be happy if we are late” “Alright mum, you haven’t even taken out your curlers yet” Sean said as he was gelling his hair. They were going to pick up his grand parents to take them to the Cathedral for their weekly Mass ritual. It was Friday. Mass used to be on Sunday but now you could go any day of the week as long as you went.
Anne’s parents were in their 80’s. Her mother was 83 and her father was 87. They had met just as the second world war had finished. Lisa her mothers name and Peter her fathers name would probably not have met if it hadn’t been for the war. Lisa was German and Peter was Irish.

“Come on Sean, I wont ask you again”. Her hair was now brushed, the curlers gone. “I’m ready” he shouted at her “I am going to wait for you in the car”. Anne grabbed the car keys and her handbag. It was a very cold morning. Sean wasn’t sitting in the car he was defrosting the windscreen with the De-icer. “Thanks Sean” she said as she started the engine to warm the car inside.
“Come on Sean, that is perfect now I can see out of the windows” she said as she was adjusting the heating and pushed the button to defrost the back window. Sean got in the car. Although it was cold it was also very sunny. His mum knew he would put on the track from the U2 CD “Its a Beautiful Day” . They drove to Sean’s grandparents. Neither saying a word just listening to the wonderful music. It was only a short drive as Anne’s parents just lived a few miles away.
They arrived and were waiting for Sean’s grandparents to open the back door. This took a lot longer now. Anne admired their front garden. The crocus and daffodils were going to burst open soon in time for Easter. They may be in their 80’s she pondered but they were not afraid of hard work. This was evident in the neatness of their spring garden. The door opened “Hello you two” said her mother. Her mother was still beautiful. Her hair although grey was perfectly in place. “Come on in quickly, you are letting in all the cold” As they got inside the house was lovely and warm “Your father had a funny turn last night. He is alright now though”. Anne’s mother could talk endlessly on illnesses and tablets. They could hear her talking as they took off their coats.

Anne’s dad was sitting in his usual seat! He didn’t look 87 and you could tell that he was once a very handsome man. “Are you alright dad” said Anne as she kissed him on the cheek. “No I am suicidal” said her dad as he finished pulling on his shoes with one of those long handled shoe horns. Anne and Sean laughed at his response as this was quite normal. “She is driving me nuts”. “Come on Peter” said Lisa as she was putting on her coat. “Is it cold out” Anne and Sean looked at each other! “I will put on my warm scarf this morning” Kind of answering her own question.
“Sorry to hear you were not well last night” said Sean obviously concerned. “All this and heaven too” said Peter. He would of course say this at least 5 times before the day was out. “I am alright now” he said “just had a spasm last night. Mary said my heart just missed a beat. The blood probably did not pump through as it should and so for a couple of seconds I didn’t know where I was” Mary was their eldest daughter she was also retired but had been a very successful hospital theatre sister working with one the best heart surgeons in the country. Peter had now finished putting on his shoes and put the shoe horn away in the corner behind where he sat. “Oh it was very frightening. You have no idea”. Lisa said as she popped her head round the corner from the kitchen. “Get your coat grand-dad” she told him, they often spoke to one another like that” Sean went and got his grand dads coat. “We will tell you all about it in the car”.
They all sat in the car. The journey was about 10 miles. Anne and Sean said quietly as they listened to the story of the night before. It was always tense the first few hours together. A lot of rolling of the eyebrows from, Anne, Sean and Peter. Anne’s mother did most of the talking.

They arrived early at the Cathedral. Sean always went off for a walk around the town, while they stayed in the car and had a cup of coffee and some fruit cake. Anne’s mother always prepared this. Anne didn’t have to say much on these occasions. She just listened. Once they finished they went into the cathedral where Sean met them. They always sat in the same seats. The Mass went quickly today. Although it was always just an hour, it would if the sermon was good, seem much quicker. Anne and Sean went straight back to the car and waited for Lisa and Peter to chat and say goodbye to the friends they had made over the years. After mass they drove to their favourite pub for lunch it was only 5 miles from the Cathedral.

This was where everyone began to relax especially after the first glass of red wine. Anne always said to Sean that these Fridays were her father and mother’s day and they were just to sit and listen and just make sure they were happy and enjoying their day. This is when Lisa and Peter would tell their stories of how they met just after the war and what they got up to.
Stories that should not be forgotten to follow……………..