And Now for the Bad News.................

Some of you will remember that a few weeks ago, I wrote a post about my Best Friend Forever, Carol.

Now in our Fifties - we have been friends since we were three years old.

Most Thursdays I go round to Carol's house for lunch. We love each other's company and we always find something to laugh about.

After we've swapped family news, we enjoy a good old gossip.

Over the last few years, we have noticed just how much we are turning into our own Mothers.

Nothing illustrates the point more than the following conversation we had.

Sometimes we drive each other mad. The reason I exasperate Carol is because I remember everything; people we knew years ago, places we went, what we did, all down to the last detail.

Carol's memory is like most normal people, but I get frustrated when she doesn't remember things that I'm talking about. I will go to great lengths giving hints and tips until I unearth the memory.

Carol: What's new?

Me: D’ya remember that lass called Brenda that used to knock about with us at the Teenage Disco?

Carol: Errr, no.

Me: Yer doooooooooo! She had that sister, Barbara who would show the lads her knickers for a suck on their Juicy Jim.*

(*Juicy Jim was a pyramid shaped ice lolly.)

Carol:(thinking "Oh God, Here we go again") You always talk about people I don’t remember.

Me: Yer do know her. Her brother used to play in the cricket team. He walked with a limp.

Carol:(eyes glazing over) I still don’t know who yer on about.

Me: (with a little sigh) Their Aunty Joan worked in the Chippy - always wiping her nose on the sleeve of her cardy.

Carol: Nope - still no idea.

Me: (with a Big Sigh) Her husband used to go to the pub on his bike. We used to pinch it and ride it round while he was having a pint in the Wagon.

Carol: D’ya mean The Wagon and Horses Pub?

Me: (excitedly) Yesssss!

Carol: What about it?

Me: What?

Carol: What about the Wagon and Horses Pub?

Me: I'm not talking about the pub. D’ya remember that bike we used to pinch from outside?

Carol: Oh yeah.

Me: It belonged to that bloke who was married to Joan in the Chippy.

Carol: (nodding her head) Oh - I know who yer mean. Didn’t she always wipe her nose on the sleeve of her cardy

Me: Yessssss!

Carol: What about her?

Me: I’m not talking about Joan. D’ya recall her nephew who played cricket?

Carol: Oh yeah. Didn’t he have a limp?

Me: Yesssss!

Carol: What about him?

Me: I’m not talking about him. I’m talking about his sister.

Carol: Wasn’t she called Barbara and used to show the lads her knickers for a suck on their Juicy Jim?

Me: That's right! Well she also had a sister, Brenda. D’ya remember her?

Carol: (excitedly nodding her head) Oh, Brenda! I know who you mean, now.

What about her?

.......................

.......................

Me: Well, she’s dead.

Carol and me 1967, aged 11. (I'm the one with the monkey)

You can read my previous post about Carol here