“See, I couldn’t have that childhood now. We wouldn’t have a beach hut like that. And our telly was black and white with one channel and no adverts. Free education, cold houses, shared-line phones that plugged into the wall, free healthcare, cooking your own food from scratch, laundry mangles, washing lines”…
Have you finished, dear? “I could go on.”
I’m sure you could. But these days people go on holiday to Thailand rather than Bournemouth. So don’t worry about the beach hut.
“Do you remember the beach hut where that photo was taken, Mum?”
Of course I do, dear. It belonged to a friend of your uncle.
“The huts were on a spit of sand between the river and the sea. I remember wood splinters and cold sand on my feet when I walked between them.”
“They cost nearly a quarter of a million each now, those huts, Mum.”
I don’t believe you. “Time passes Mum … and prices rise.”
Voila!
Hat and sunglasses. Just like in the beach photo.
Pretty good, dear … Yes?
You must remember us going to the seaside. When you were little you would run around in your knickers and vest. We had a photo of you … holding up a fist full of wet sand, looking all pleased. I thought you were going to eat it.
You were that kind of child. Always putting things in your mouth.
So is this all right, then ?
“You’ve got clothes on.”
Yes. At the end of your cartoon … you said that I had to put some clothes on. I said I didn’t need clothes because I’m dead. And you said you couldn’t draw me with no clothes on.
So I put this on. It’s a sundress. I found it in a photo on your bookshelf… Me on the beach with your Aunty … 1950 something. Remember?
syb & me 