The brain cells die, but many memories live on - very true.
Today we went to visit a neighbour who is now being cared for in a local residential home - I have known this lady for over forty years and it was sad to see her in her present condition,. Short term memory non existent but long term as clear as a bell with her remembering the time we met, her job, etc., She had a great recall and was able to give me details of things even I could not remember.
One of the other ladies, who was dozing, became alert and within minutes was relating stories of her youth in Leith, where she had lived in West Bowling Street. Another wee lady, listening to the conversations , got up on her feet and came round handing out sweeties, the little Wethers toffees, lovely - so of course we began talking about "Lucky Dips", sherbert dabs, lucky potatoes, etc - so in turn I thought of the old Beechnut chewing gum machines, which you popped in your penny, turned the handle and out popped the pack with four pieces of gum.
For me this brought back a recollection of Johnny Wynne's shop in Balerno, opposite the Primary School. One afternoon, after school, I was passing the shop, gave the chewing machine a bang, and lo and behold out popped dozens of packets of chewing gum - which I , as a "wild child " stuffed in my pockets and headed home, some two miles away. However, the said Mr Wynne, owner of the wee shop, found out who I was and by the time I got home my parents were waiting to deal with "the thief" - so a short time later the chewing gum, minus a few mouthfulls was returned to Mr Wynne and I was sent to bed with a red raw bottom.
So, as we age,brain cells die , assisted by alcohol in many cases , however, irrespective of circumstances and situation, their is an inevitability about life - we are born to die, one way or another .
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Hello Stuart!
I have been following your blog for some time now and as we go into a New Year, thought it only manners to say how much I enjoy it. I was born in Valleyfield Road, Penicuik in 1950,and not long after, the family were allocated a house in Dick Terrace a year or so later.
I look back and now realise that my boyhood days in Penicuik were probably the best days of my life. Life seemed so 'easy' then,where long summer school holidays,brought everyday 'adventures'....roaming the Pentlands,up the 'targets' and trying to find the source of the 'burn'! We were off out from early morning and our Mothers probably didn't see us again until tea-time. We didn't get into trouble,didn't cause any damage to other folk's property. No computers in those days. As my Dad worked in the papermills,he was offered a position up here in Aberdeen and we left Penicuik in 1965. Sadly I note that there are no mills left now.
Anyway Stuart,thanks.Angus
Angus, thanks for the nice comments, I was not brought up in Penicuik asa youngster, but i can appreciate how you felt as a youngster, up the "targets" where there are now a few new houses, but the sourse of teh burn is no doubt still a secret. Dick Tce hasnot chaned any but now surronded by new houses, and the site of the mills, ragmill, also new houses. Will try to add some pics as and when
Post a Comment