And the times they are a-changing for the better, in two part harmony

‘AND the times they are a cc-hh-aa-nn-gg-ii-nn-gg!’ Medders was giving it full wellie. ‘What is that horri...,’ Hermione walked into the kitchen clutching boxful of groceries. ‘Oh. You are singing.’ ‘ That’s right. I read somewhere recently that singing helps to reduce blood pressure.’

‘Somewhere? It reminds me of something I may have spotted in ‘Reader’s Digest’ in a dentist’s waiting room when I was a girl.’ ‘No, I think this was online, sweetness. I’m bang up to date.’ ‘Doctor ‘Fecking’ Google, I wager – not to be trusted. I would like to state here and now, before you embark on a second verse, that your singing is having an adverse effect on my blood pressure. I can practically feel my arteries contracting.’

‘Maybe it would work if you joined in…Come gather ’round people wherever you rr-oo-aa-mm!’

‘Enough! That’s not singing. That’s a Bob Dylan number and you sound just like him.’

‘Have some respect please. The man’s a Nobel laureate.’

‘ The man gives me a pain in the ear! You know what our son said about Bob Dylan?’

‘Eldrick? What does Eldrick know about Bob Dylan?’

‘He knows enough to make a wise judgement. Dylan was on the radio one day. In walks our Eldrick and he stands there beside the cooker with a pained look on his face.’

‘He was transfixed!’

‘He was stricken, more like. He asked me who was singing and I told him. Then he spins on his heel, heading back out the door and saying: ‘We won’t be seeing him at the Feis Cheoil anyway.’ I will never forget it.’

‘Okay, so Dylan is no opera star but he is a great performer.. Maybe we could try something in a gentler style, I suppose, if you insist. Any ideas?’

‘ The Carpenters. They would have to be good for the brain, good for the circulation, a comprehensive tonic for the entire system.’ Hermione set her box down and leaned back against the counter, eyes closed: ‘Wo-ho, wait a minute Mister Postman…’

‘Very nice, very sweet, but there’s not much street cred to be earned crooning The Carpenters. All that ‘close to you’ or ‘white face and promises’ – a bit squirmy to be honest.’

‘White lace, Medders, white lace.’

‘Never heard of them. Perhaps you mean Blue Lace. I seem to remember they had a hit with ‘Agadoo’ which was a great crowd pleaser. Before your time probably my little spring chicken.’

‘No, no, no! I was trying to inform you that The Carpenters lyric is ‘white lace’, not ‘white face’. And your spring chicken is old enough to have heard about the Waltons programme and their motto: ‘if you are going to sing a song, sing an Irish song’ or something like that. Let’s go local.’

‘Great idea. Nothing better than Thin Lizzy – the boys are back in tow-wow-wow-wow-own…’

‘Put down that air guitar at once. You will punch the light bulb and that will do nothing for your blood pressure. I was thinking more Foster and Allen than Phil Lynnott.’ She reached over to take hold of her husband, coaxing him into a reluctant waltz around the kitchen – ‘old flames, can’t hold a candle to you…’

In spite of himself, Medders found himself happily joining in – ‘no one can light up the night…’ And when they finished, he gave a little bow while she made a pretty curtsey. Then they both laughed and vowed to sing together more often.

‘Do you know the words of that Joe Dolan song, Hermione? The one about the angel…’

‘Perfect – oh me, oh my, you make me sigh…’ They were off again. Whether or not it conferred any health benefits will probably never be known for sure but it is certain that the making of the dinner was accomplished with more of a smile than usual with touch of the ‘ring-dumma-doo-dumma-dah’.

And Medders was delighted to have reached back into memory to give a rendition of ‘I Believe’ – as made famous by The Bachelors.