Sixteen year old loves start suddenly, sometimes out of the blue and end just as suddenly. A shout from a high school window asked me if I would date this girl and I agreed. Time place and event must have been set all I know is that we almost always dated on the canal banks!
She was a D and so was I and all marriage would have needed is one letter change but it was never to be. She always lived 5 miles away from me. Being a gentleman and fit I cycled 2/3 times a week, through hail, snow and rain for our canal dates. It didn’t seem to last long, possible 6 wks and then it fizzled out? She made one final trip somehow that 5 miles and I assumed she was visiting my younger sister so we never even spoke, and I passed her on the footpath and she disappeared then forever until?
I had moved way down south – a friend who knew D and had been an old school chum was working with me and came into the dining room one evening with a copy of our ‘up north’ local newspaper. There she was in all her glory as Rose Queen of our little town. I paused for a moment to wonder and then life went on!
Pan ahead 4 or 5 decades I was now down under and as one does visited Friends Re-united which was in its dying embers. But after some cursory searches no sign of D? Then FRU folded.
Pan another few decades and the bug caught me – what do they call it “digging up the past”? “the God botherers” etc etc. but by then there were a plethora of search engines and with the help of friendly strangers I finally found her again and learned of her sad demise – after me hoping we might re-unite and swop some tales!
Handkerchiefs at the ready the final tale is rather sad”
After our explosive canal affair D had married twice ; had no children and died at the age of 56 and that was approx 24 yrs ago. I was/am hoping there are some remaining relatives and friends who can fill in the spaces. I suppose one may define this as an ‘enigma’? I feel that I at least want to read a gravestone message or talk to those last remaining friends and/or rellies? Hopeful former canal trotter! D and D
