Life goes on

                                  … Life goes On…

‘ That’s her off…phone you in the morning…check she’s  arrived intact…’ 

  Her son said.

Overnight, my sister travelled by “Special Delivery”  Glasgow to Devon.             

Single ticket,  no return… £10.95

8.30am, the letter box rattles followed by bang on the door.

A red acne faced youth balancing on one leg spins a box on forked fingers.

‘ Hi, there, woke you up eh, eh, your bell doesn’t work’ 

 ‘ Whoah…could do with more like this to deliver !’   

‘…Light as a feather this, not heavy like those bloody 30kg  jobs !’

‘…Just sign here and I’ll be off…’

Wrapped in bubble wrap, a fluorescent red cardboard cylinder decorated with gold and silver stars, her photograph and a letter.

‘…she wanted some of her ashes to be sprinkled on the beach, you know the one…’

‘…we’ve kept the remainder for a  “ trip doon the watter ” on the Waverley,  Rothesay, Arran.

‘Then a slow drive to Loch Lomond, Luss, the most likely spot, she liked it there…’

Under a bright azure sky, adrift amidst gold and silver stars she floats away over shimmering turquoise water.

A trio of palm tree fronds wave bon voyage, a glittering kingfisher dips in to guide the way.

She wanted her passing this way, strictly no dark clothing, wear anything bright and garish, dance your legs off at the ceilidh, swearing and karaoke down at the Social.

In Devon she always said,  ‘…this is ma holiday hame, magic so it is…’

Swapping jigs and reels for morris dancing or a skip around a Maypole, scrumpy, pasties, ploughman’s and cream teas.

                     Sing loud and clear as life goes on.

               “…You tak the high tide and I’ll tak the low

                         and I’ll be in Scotland before ye…”