| The Warky On a Thursday Report 21:24 - Apr 10 with 752 views | Warkystache |
A Warky Report on a Thursday? What? Yes. I know. But it's been a while and I have some news.
The biggest news is that Tel and Mrs Tel have put their house in Halstead on the market. The honeymoon period wore off, sadly. They didn't like Halstead as a town. Tel frequently moaned to me before the footie that he couldn't stand it. They were driving to Braintree and Colchester a lot for shopping and to meet with her brother and his wife. He missed the closeness of the sea and his old friends from Dovercourt. They're both well into their sixties now, no kids, and I think the relationship with Tony and Sandy has cooled a bit from his point of view, although Mrs Tel seems to spend more time with both.
I asked where they'd be looking to move, but Tel couldn't answer that and, instead, took refuge in the age-old distraction of belittling Halstead to me once again. "No bleedin' shops, not any yer'd wanna use in yer right mind anyway". I wondered if it was just him? "Nah, the wife can't stand it eiver. Iss 'er that wants the move". He chewed reflectively on his beer and said he could feel a cold draught somewhere. We were sat in a pub in old Harwich. He'd come to look at a house in Little Oakley. He invited me. It wasn't suitable. That much became clear before we'd even met the estate agent outside (he was running late and Tel nearly b*ggered off without even giving him the courtesy of an audience when he saw the house).
"Tony wants to move ter Spain" said Tel as we drank on, the light in the pub flickering as a cloud drifted over the sun. One of the bar staff crept into the hiatus and asked if we wanted a menu. Tel shook his head and then said, almost an afterthought, "fanks anyway" to her retreating back. I asked him if he knew where and he said "Place called Carmona, near Seville". I asked him if he'd been and he shook his head again. "Nah. Seville's not our cup'o'tea. Surprised it's theirs to be 'onest. Well, 'is anyway. She's always been a bit la-di-dah. Architeck stuff an' all that. She loves it". He sipped again and added "She was one of the only folk I've met who enjoyed wotchin' that Time Team". He shook his head at the iniquity of it all.
So the house is on the market. Ipswich are heading back to the Championship. We're both renewing because, as Tel said, "Why wouldn'tcha? Best bit of goin' up if yer can't stay there is comin' down wiv cash and the chance of whipping a few". He reflected as I went to the bar with our empties, looking for another refill as it was only 4pm. "Specially the scum" he added with a seraphic grin that exposed brown teeth and five 'o'clock shadow on his cheek.
I don't know. It all seems a bit hasty. Mrs Tel didn't come with him on the house viewing and he only saw one house, so it's hardly urgent. I can't imagine he'd buy a property without her say-so. We took a cab back to mine from the pub later and passed by his old bungalow and I noted he pressed his face against the side window as we passed, a longer-than-uncaring glimpse. And I felt sad. I don't know why. This was the place of memories, the first official 'item' dinner with Paula all that time ago, the scene of parties, sleep-overs, piss-ups, emotional meets and tears and laughter, And now it's just someone else's home. Almost a warning to the curious.
Life does carry on, just the same. We just get older and more reminiscent and nostalgic for things that, in the moment, were actually the cause of great pain and ongoing confusion. Terry remembers things in a negative way that I only remember being positive, and vice versa. He ages ungracefully, as though dragged unwillingly through the years towards his epitaph. His black has long-since turned grey. Sometimes I think he's aged alarmingly, and I worry. Then he opens his mouth and I realise he's still in there, the barrack-room-barrister without a jury. I'm fifty-one soon. I feel it. Blokes died in their late forties when my Grandfather was a nipper, not just through war or pestilence, but of age worn stuff. It was accepted. I'm still hanging on. Barely.
Thanks for listening. Or reading. Dunno why I told you all that now? Oh well. Match reports will come back eventually, but the constant beatings do get on yer wick, as Tel has said, so perhaps we'll be a bit choosy until the Championship starts in August? You never know your luck.
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| The Warky On a Thursday Report on 06:07 - Apr 11 with 533 views | Benters |
Great stuff,I haven’t been to Halstead for years now,it used to be a great place with decent pubs.
I also saw you the other week crossing Butt Road in Colchester heading towards the cop shop or Accountants that end of town anyway.Fat Cat maybe ? |  |
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| The Warky On a Thursday Report on 06:46 - Apr 11 with 496 views | slade1 |
Have you ever thought about writing a book?
The way you write is brilliant, funny and keeps you wanting more. |  | | |
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