Saturday, May 22, 2010

Journeys

Dear Diary, another day, another entry.

Niece's demeanour has improved this morning. Instead of that open-mouth expression of disbelief that her life should suddenly take a different path, she wears an unmistakable countenance of calm satisfaction, taking ten years off her age. Her man wore a look of resignation; his life had changed and he no longer held the full attention of his wife. She was now a mother; a mother whose daughter was in the throes of planning a wedding. The future was bright; Niece was an organiser. The idea of a wedding coming up raced her mind into overdrive.

Niece and her man had married while overseas; the wedding was quiet with only a distant relative and his wife in attendance. The family had no prior knowledge of the distant relatives who descended upon Niece shortly after her arrival in Plymouth. Later we discovered that Niece had joined a Genealogy Society with the exclusive purpose of tracing her ancestry. She could have asked me! I have photos and documentation that would have given her a head start; Niece is stubborn! Evidently she had been in touch with these relatives. Though she never actually said so, I am sure it was because of the introductions to distant family that gave her the incentive to travel.

Her man, normally a rather dull specimen of manhood; he watches football, cricket, and seldom helps around the house; had travelled to England to watch an Ashes game. I have no idea how they met. After touring around for a few months, they arrived home engaged. Two years later they made another trip and it was on that occasion they married. Some of the family did wonder if their decision to marry overseas was simply a method of avoiding a 'big family do'. They arrived home married and set up home.

It was obvious to an observer that Karen and Jake had not contemplated someone else organising their forthcoming nuptials. It was also obvious to me that now was the time for me to take refuge with my old school friend, who lived at the seaside. Every Christmas, when we exchanged cards and greetings, she included a sentence inviting me to come and stay, and catch up with old times. I will take her up on that offer!

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