Do you remember the kind cat lady who gave me the braces? Well yesterday was payback day. I was walking Saff, when we passed some builders working on a house. We have the usual banter and hurl insults at each other. We have a good swear, talk about the Rugby and the weather. Then join forces and insult the younger apprentice bricklayers and their trendy hairstyles. You have to be British to appreciate the ritual. Well yesterday there was a massive pile of building rubble, building blocks and timber. They noticed I was eyeing it up, and asked what I wanted. And of course what I wanted it for. I told them that the lady that gave me the braces needed them. She wanted them to block up an area, to prevent her three legged rescue cat getting stuck. Those kind old boys were eager to help. They let me take a many as I wanted, free of charge. I returned later with my gardening cart, filled it to the brim, and towed it up the hill to the ladies garden. I then filled the gap, also free of charge.
Later on I was sitting with Saff and I thought about the braces lady and the builders and reminded myself that kindness really does spread like wildfire. People like that are the salt of the earth. To do something nice without reward is the right way to go.
I got then to thinking about mortality, and what people have written on their gravestones. Because without being morbid, we are all one generation away from being forgot. Two if we are lucky. When one doesn’t have children, one has to be practical. I will probably end up in the woods surrounded by my old dogs.
Whilst writing the upcoming love story I realised that the wonderful couple in it will be remembered for a longer time, because of the books. As long as people read the books, then they will be remembered. Even after their children and grandchildren are gone. And people will always have kind thoughts about the pair.
Then I wondered what people will say about me? Do you wonder what they will say about you? We all put wonderful words on headstones. We never go into factual details. We never say “yeah he was a good old boy, but he was a tight miserable sod as well”. I reckon the inscription on my new builder mates graves will be pretty damn good. You never know when someone somewhere will write about how you acted. Let us hope we have kind words said about us.
