Nick, the non-blogging Bonden brother, said I looked happier. A rare sort of remark which surprised me. I’d been chattering about the novel and I shut up for a moment to reflect. True, I am happier. Good or bad I love writing. It suits my type of selfishness.The three of us (including the blogging Sir Hugh) had just sat down to dine at “a restaurant with rooms” in North Wales. That afternoon we’d spent time drinking beer (Old Snowdonia, to be precise) in a remote pub, way up a valley that started out lovely and got lovelier the further we penetrated. We laughed a lot, rather hysterically, discussing the various financial crises.
Nick’s giving up sailing after forty years. A five-year lapse has left his marine experiences and knowledge lagging behind and he worries about his competence. Rather than moan he told us about two paintings he’d bought “without asking the price” and which he gazes at deliberately every day.
Sir Hugh is planning another giant walk, starting at Lowestoft (“A horrible place”, said Nick). I suggested Sir Hugh write it up as a dialogue between himself and his defective knees. I think he thought the idea fanciful.
The meal was superb, partridge and a “plum soup” dessert in my case. An Oregon pinot grigio and a 2005 Santenay to wash things down.
Nick mentioned the fallibilities of a company executive, now dead, we all knew. Nick’s now retired but I marvelled at his professional ability to move confidently in the murk of the business world. Occasionally we dwelt on the ambiguous relationships all three of us had with our father.
PIC. Here we all are in 1982 – father, Nick, BB, Sir Hugh. My brothers look especially handsome, I think
6 comments:
Ah, a photograph of good-looking young men in nice suits. I'd be much too shy to approach them though. Guys in suspenders put me more at ease. And I'd have an easier time offering a pint of my homebrew to a young man wearing suspenders. Good to hear that you enjoy a pint together with your brothers now, BB!
I notice Father is holding something; there is a subtlety about the handhold which pertains to those with a lifetime's experience of handling antique porcelain.
I hope the facial disfigurement has since healed OK, BB?
Oh, good one, Avus!
I wanted to ask about that, but, being the shy creature that I am, I hesitated.
RW (zS): Wouldn't you have to partially undress one of these guys to check whether he was wearing suspenders (braces in English)? Mind you, I can see how this would put you at your ease.
Sir Hugh: I see your point; there's a protective look to those fingers. I was under the impression that the item was in fact a camera but closer inspection suggests this isn't the case. In any case, when can you ever remember him going in for such an effete activity?
Avus/The Crow: Fooled you both! Just for once I thought I'd show my face as it truly is. Now you know why I don't publicise it on Works Well very often
Braces? In the US of A those go on teeth, BB! Suspenders ... aren't those the elastic shoulder straps that hold up a guy's trousers? Oh, my poor head ... this English-English vs. American-English is dangerous. Time for me to go into the kitchen and cook up something delicious since the way to a man's heart is through his stomach ...
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