I have known Marilyn for 47 years
My wife Jane has known Marilyn for almost all her life.
Some say they shared their sweet ration after the war
I have known Colin for 35 years. I first met him when Marilyn moved to Jesmond and through a series of coincidences met Steve and Lynn, (they weren’t an item then but they are now)
At regular weekend gatherings at Marilyn’s flat Steve started to bring a friend with him. At first all I knew about him was that he was called Colin, he didn’t work at Midland Bank, (everybody else did) He lived in London and he was clever, (nobody else was)
Steve and Colin were very much a double act, at that time Colin was very much Syd Little to Steve’s Eddie Large. Colin was very often the subject of Steve’s affectionate mickey taking. Colin was very quiet… Steve wasn’t.
In fact it remained a joke between Colin and I that the first time I heard him talk was when he played charades, ironically the only time he was meant to be silent he could not keep his mouth shut.
The other thing about Colin was, at the end of the weekend he was always the last to leave.
He liked to drive back to London in the early hours of Monday morning. I still don’t know whether he got any sleep before going to work.
I also don’t know when Marilyn and Colin’s relationship started or how long they kept it secret, but it was a surprise when Marilyn announced she was selling up and moving to be with Colin in London; showing love commitment and quite a large amount of bravery.
Obviously as soon as they had settled in together (I think Jane allowed them 2 or 3 days) we had to visit. I asked Colin for directions and he said he would send me some in the post.
What I was expecting was something like: Follow the A1 South, pick a bridge cross the Thames and turn left.
What I got was 4 pages of A4, the most detailed instructions of how to get from the M11 through the East end to Blackheath. What Colin had done was over 4 nights, he had gone out after midnight driving the route, stopping every 100 metres or so and writing down an instruction. These were through areas that I didn’t like stopping at traffic lights during the daytime! Needless to say I never got lost, and sometimes if we were really lucky we got to park our car in the same Borough.
During their time in London, apart from getting to know London, Jane and I had wonderful long weekends in Amsterdam and Paris with Marilyn and Colin. Paris was particularly memorable.
After a very boozy meal at Chartier Restaurant, Jane and Marilyn had the brilliant idea the next morning, of going to the Flea Market. Colin and I had shocking hangovers and the long Metro ride was an absolute nightmare. We had to get off the train 3 or 4 times just to stop the world moving!
I did 3 things that weekend that I vowed I would never do again and up to present day I have stuck to it:
Although we enjoyed visiting them in London we were delighted that they re-located to Nottingham to a lovely house with good neighbours on one side, but unfortunately Alan and Liz on the other. It also had the joy of off-street parking.
During that time it was a total honour and privilege to be, along with Steve and Lynn, the only guests at Marilyn and Colin’s secret wedding. What a lovely romantic occasion that was. (Those are words that I never thought I’d say)
What a happy house that was to bring Katherine and Phil into the world and raise them to the brink of adulthood. Oh really happy days.
I knew that they had dreamed of returning north to settle in rural Northumberland, but was still a little surprised when they fulfilled that dream. Eventually finding, and settling, in High Angerton, (or as we all said WHERE?), in their dream house with wonderful neighbours.
Just a quick word about Gavin and Susie, next door neighbours, who in the last few months have been brilliant in looking after the dogs and having an almost 6th sense in bringing food round to Marilyn when it most needed and appreciated. Good people and greatly appreciated.
I thought the move to Northumberland was to ease them into semi-retirement but not a bit of it, with Colin starting a new venture as an electrician he was working harder than ever, but extremely happy in that work. I got the impression the he wished they had done it years ago.
I do feel for Kat and Phil who are both approaching important, exciting stages of their lives. With Phil about to leave University and Kat and Tom, who should be at the very peak of their happiness.
Not really advice to you but I don’t think you can go far wrong, when life’s problems inevitably arise, is to sit down and ask yourself what would Dad have done? You know that your Dad would always think carefully about a problem and come up with a solution. Less than 100% was never an option for your Dad.
Oh yes, and don’t drink Vodka with your Mum.
Marilyn, I have no words, other than to say: anytime, anywhere Jane and I will do anything we can to help.
Colin, my friend, our friend, taken far too early by effing cancer, when he and Marilyn were living The Dream. He will leave a massive hole in our lives which we can only attempt to fill with our love, respect and many, many, many happy memories.
Life is not just unfair and cruel. At this present time it is total crap
Finally if there is a heaven I am fairly certain Colin will have had the pearly gates to pieces to see how they work; rearranged the Heavenly record collection and re-stacked the Lord’s log pile; because as we all know only Colin knew how to stack logs.
John