KERRE MCIVOR
A CATCH-UP WITH FRIENDS REMINDS KERRE JUST WHY THE LADIES OF YESTERYEAR WERE RIGHT TO HAVE COMPANIONS
Last week, I caught up with two of my workmates and life-mates – Niva Retimanu, who reads the news on Newstalk ZB, and Mark Dye, with whom I used to present the afternoon show. It was great fun. We enjoyed each other’s company when we worked together for two years and were forever laughing, teasing each other and telling silly stories.
In fact, we lived in mortal terror that one of us might leave a microphone on and people would hear what we really talked about during the ad breaks! To be able to catch up, away from work and with all the time in the world, was a real treat. And I was reminded again of just how essential it is to have a young person in your life.
When Kate was living at home, I had a young person on tap. She’d offer me make-up and wardrobe advice, introduce me to new music, and generate an energy and enthusiasm in the household that was contagious.
Later, after she left home and before she got married and became a mama, we were lucky enough to travel together and again she proved an asset to have around. She would meticulously plan our holidays – right down to suggested outfits for every day we were away – she would research the best hotels and restaurants for our budget, and our tastes, and when she was with me, I never needed to scrabble around for my glasses to read menus or price tags or maps.
I understand completely why ladies of yesteryear had companions. Utter bliss. When Mark and I started working together, he was the next best thing to Kate.
I got to hear new music again and learn new slang, and he gave me recommendations for articles he’d read and Netflix shows he had watched. He knew where my glasses were when I’d put them down someplace, and could resolve glitches on my phone and computer in a matter of seconds. He escorted me to functions and got me home safely and, in short, was as helpful and as capable as
Kate was when she was in my life. Young people just seem to be like that.
When I was collecting for the RSA on Poppy Appeal day, I was paired with a young Sub Lieutenant from the HMNZS Te Kaha to go around the restaurants in the Viaduct Harbour selling poppies. Tim, who was in his twenties, was an admirable consort. Charming, funny and also very useful. He was able to see the little pins for the poppies when they rolled into the corners of the box and tried to hide.
He took my elbow when I had to negotiate steep stairs in my high heels while carrying my tray of poppies. And he was able to set up some sort of work related app on my phone when my boss called and asked me to install it ready for the weekend. I was fumbling around peering at words on the screen and pressing the wrong buttons when the young naval officer said kindly,
“Would you like me to do that for you?” The two men talked to one another,
Tim pressed a few buttons and, just like that, the job was done. We all need a young person in our lives.
If only I could hang one of them from my bag like a key ring and have them with me at all times.
When Mark and Niva and I met up, Mark proved he hadn’t lost any of his ability to organise women of a certain age. Niva and I were bemoaning the fact we hadn’t been able to set up the Auckland Transport parking app on our phones. So Mark took our phones and the app was installed for us within seconds. I mentioned that I was looking forward to my forthcoming trip to Dunedin but I was worried about missing my Pilates classes for four days as I really didn’t want to get out of the habit of going. Mark googled classes near my hotel, rang the studios and I found myself booked in for Thursday and Friday. He’s a marvel. So many young people are. Those of us who have them in our lives should count our blessings.
‘Mark proved he hadn’t lost any of his ability to organise women of a certain age’