Anna married late, at twenty-five. Her groom wasnt exactly a dud, but he was hardly the sort to make her girlfriends green with envy. Did she love him? Even she wasnt sure. Shed grown used to him. They had a son, Timmybright, sensiblewhat more could she want? Not that Anna dreamed much. Shed resigned herself to the fact that her Geoff was dull as ditchwater, with a stingy streak to boot. She hardly noticed it anymore. She worked at the school, ran after-school clubs, looked after her boythat was her life. And yet, shed been a real beauty once, turning heads left and right! Golden waves framing her delicate face, a figure to die for. A proper stunner, sharp as a tack. The sort who ought to have landed herself a proper catch.
Geoff never quite fit in with her family, who sniggered behind his back. He was hopeless in companynever joined in the banter, missed every joke, and was forever nudging Anna:
“Time to go, love. Early start tomorrow!”
Eventually, they stopped inviting the pair altogether. The two of them might as well have lived on the moon.
Old age crept up, grey and joyless. What had Anna seen of life? Precious little. Their only holidays were at Geoffs factorys dreary seaside lodgethree meals a day and an evening disco, which the Smiths never attended.
“Whats the point?” Geoff would say. “Thats for folks hunting a bit on the side. Not our scene, eh, Anna?”
Anna would nod obediently.
Fancy clothes from proper shops were off-limits too.
“Rip-off! Theres decent Turkish gear down the market for half the price.”
Anna sighed but never argued.
Then disaster struck. Geoffs memory began slipping. He wasnt even that oldlooked better than he had in his youth, franklybut there you go. The doctor delivered the grim verdict: early dementia, courtesy of a few mini-strokes. Soon, Geoff barely recognised their son or grandkids.
“Who are these children?” hed ask.
“Geoffie,” Anna would say softly, as if coaxing a toddler. “Thats Danny and Alfie, our grandsons. And the tall ones Tim, our boy.”
“Why am I only hearing about this now? Did they just move here?” Geoff would blink in confusion.
Five minutes later, hed ask again: “So whos visiting today?”
But her, he never forgot. How could he? She tended to him like a mother hen. Without Anna, hed have wandered out in his pants. Now that she controlled the purse strings, she couldve splurged on herselfexcept shed lost the urge. Not from thrift, just habit. Shed stroll past boutiques without a second glance, yet spoil Geoff with posh treats. He trailed after her like a lost lamb, begging her not to leave him alone at the shops.
“Id be done for without you,” he told her once. “Youre my whole world.”
Not a word of that in fifty years of marriage. Funny how trouble brings out the sweetnessjust when she least fancied it. Anna would lock herself in the loo for a quiet sob, then wipe her eyes and soldier on.
…This tale came from my neighbour, a lovely slip of a woman who, despite the years, still carried herself like a queen. Not a hint of self-pity about her. Shyly, she added:
“Ive written Geoff a poem. Want to hear? *My faithful friend, youre by my side, / While I steer this ship with pride. / Forgot Julys a summer month? Oh well! / Just dont forget who loves you, pal.*”
I hugged Anna tight and silently wished her buckets of patienceand a stiff gin now and then.
