FRANCIS GAY MY WEEK

Life brings cha-cha-changes but we just keep on dancing

A friend who listens, and is always there, a person who somehow, always seems to care, a friend is special, they really give their all, so return the favour, if a friend in need should call.

The Lady of the House and I went to a dance show recently. It was the touring version of a popular dance show and it had filled the massive venue for several nights.

Behind the venue was the fleet of coaches and trucks required for such a massive undertaking. People had travelled long distances and much of the audience was dressed in all their sparkling finery.

Generations of families had come along to be entertained. Sitting next to us, were a grandmother, a mother and a child, all equally thrilled.

Which is why I wasn’t surprised to see a three-year-old in a sparkling tutu leaving the arena afterwards.

What I didn’t expect was to see her, despite her lovely shoes, dancing in a puddle!

Who needs trucks, arenas, and nationwide tours? If we have the rhythm in our hearts, we can “keeeep dancing” anywhere.

When Kathy was little she loved playing at keeping house. Her daddy built her a doll’s house from scraps wood, lavishing great attention on all the details.

She would redecorate the house, sticking on little squares of wallpaper whenever a room in the big house was being done. The doll’s house was passed on to nieces and their children. Eventually she lost track of it.

Last week she bought a similar doll’s house from a charity shop, for nostalgia’s sake.

Thinking it was a little worse-for-wear she decided to redecorate. Laying the house on its back, she did what she never did in her childhood. She looked at the bare wood of the bottom of the doll’s house. There, in faint pencil, were the words. “For Kathleen. From Daddy. xx”

It looks like Kathy got to “keep house” after all.

Gina came to Scotland many years ago. She met Colin, they got married and have a son and a daughter.

Because they are both working, the summer holidays can be difficult. Each year they apply for a visa for her parents to come and stay with them through the holidays. This year’s visa has just been granted, so they are celebrating.

After talking about it for a while, I raised the issue of money.

Visas and flights from the other side of the world don’t come cheap and I knew her parents were not wealthy.

“It is a struggle,” she said, but we pay for all that.”

I was about to make some comment on their generosity when she said. “It helps us all. And... I don’t know what price would be too much to pay to make sure our children have grandparents in their lives.”

Nor me.

“He thinks we serve free tea and coffee here.”

Tina described the semi-regular customer to her café like this – He’s involved in a local church but he rarely speaks religion. He’s retired but not well off. The people he treats to lunch are usually younger and are often recovering addicts, just out of jail, or homeless. He never talks about what they have done, just reassures them they are not alone and things can be better for them. He always pays for both lunches.

So, to help this amateur Good Samaritan a little she never charges for the many teas and coffees and she may have suggested they were normally free in her café.

Thankfully, I know the good-hearted soul we were discussing. I could tell Tina he knows what she’s doing and he really does appreciate the help!