The joys of having a day off
(A belated post from before the weekend. I've been busy ...)
Thursday was one of those busy days which never seemed to stop, so come Friday I was delighted to have time to myself. After a quiet morning, it was a matter of going out to get a few more things for the flat - strange how, despite being here since November, there’s still no shortage of improvements to be made. This time, it was a mirror for the hall, a clock for the living room and, pure indulgement this one, a coffee grinder. Long before I appreciated the taste of the drink, I have distinct memories of waking up to the smell of freshly ground coffee. Even now, the sound of a coffee grinder evokes all sorts of childhood memories.
Anyhow, back to Thursday: I was down for the late shift at work, i.e. 11:30 to 8pm, Thursday being late shopping day in Edinburgh, but with Bill’s funeral starting at the same time as I was due at work, I was there two hours early. There’s nothing really to be said for the time I spent there, as the funeral proved, not unexpectedly, to be the making of the day.
I’d expected it to be moving, but this service was one of those rare ones to strike a balance between the emotional and the celebratory. There were laughs a-plenty - in keeping with Bill’s character, as I gathered he was something of a joker despite the problems life had thrown in his direction - tempered by any number of poignant moments. On occasion I looked up to see someone in the stalls opposite red with tears, yet for me the key moment came right at the beginning of the service as we processed in. Bill had always been the one to lead this procession, carrying the cross which now lay upon the communion table, to which we each added a single rose. Definite lump-in-your-throat sort of stuff.
The music I’d looked forward to so much wasn’t pieces I would have chosen, I will admit, which didn’t take anything away from its effect, nor from our performance. As I pointed out afterwards, we did him proud.
Afterwards, my working day could but drag on: nothing of much interest happened over the course of the remaining six-and-a-half hours’ work I fitted in before returning to the church for that evening’s choir rehearsal. Usually I join the rest of the choir for drinks afterwards, but on this occasion I was expecting a friend round to stay the night, so I headed back home, had a quick something to eat and tidied the place up.
Michael is one of my closest friends from university, and as expected we kept on natterring well into the small hours. For some years after we came out to each other, he’d claimed that I fancied him, which I have since counteracted by suggested that he’s been desperate for me all this while. While it’s not meant seriously, it could certainly account for his insistance on sharing my bed rather than making do with the futon ...
Thursday was one of those busy days which never seemed to stop, so come Friday I was delighted to have time to myself. After a quiet morning, it was a matter of going out to get a few more things for the flat - strange how, despite being here since November, there’s still no shortage of improvements to be made. This time, it was a mirror for the hall, a clock for the living room and, pure indulgement this one, a coffee grinder. Long before I appreciated the taste of the drink, I have distinct memories of waking up to the smell of freshly ground coffee. Even now, the sound of a coffee grinder evokes all sorts of childhood memories.
Anyhow, back to Thursday: I was down for the late shift at work, i.e. 11:30 to 8pm, Thursday being late shopping day in Edinburgh, but with Bill’s funeral starting at the same time as I was due at work, I was there two hours early. There’s nothing really to be said for the time I spent there, as the funeral proved, not unexpectedly, to be the making of the day.
I’d expected it to be moving, but this service was one of those rare ones to strike a balance between the emotional and the celebratory. There were laughs a-plenty - in keeping with Bill’s character, as I gathered he was something of a joker despite the problems life had thrown in his direction - tempered by any number of poignant moments. On occasion I looked up to see someone in the stalls opposite red with tears, yet for me the key moment came right at the beginning of the service as we processed in. Bill had always been the one to lead this procession, carrying the cross which now lay upon the communion table, to which we each added a single rose. Definite lump-in-your-throat sort of stuff.
The music I’d looked forward to so much wasn’t pieces I would have chosen, I will admit, which didn’t take anything away from its effect, nor from our performance. As I pointed out afterwards, we did him proud.
Afterwards, my working day could but drag on: nothing of much interest happened over the course of the remaining six-and-a-half hours’ work I fitted in before returning to the church for that evening’s choir rehearsal. Usually I join the rest of the choir for drinks afterwards, but on this occasion I was expecting a friend round to stay the night, so I headed back home, had a quick something to eat and tidied the place up.
Michael is one of my closest friends from university, and as expected we kept on natterring well into the small hours. For some years after we came out to each other, he’d claimed that I fancied him, which I have since counteracted by suggested that he’s been desperate for me all this while. While it’s not meant seriously, it could certainly account for his insistance on sharing my bed rather than making do with the futon ...
posted by Anthony at
19:44
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