Friends past and present

WE ARE SITTING IN the Geriatrics’ Corner of the Pub, the two of us alone except for Dick and a couple of the staff behind the bar.

The logs are crackling away warmly in the stove, a cosy reminder – should one be needed – that it’s mighty cold and dark and wet outside.

And looking around the Corner I reflect soberly that it wasn’t so long ago that this room was regularly filled with light and chatter and laugher. There would often be twenty or more friends gathered here, all talking at once, filling the place with life (and almost deafening noise).

How quickly things do change!

But I mustn’t allow myself to get too maudlin – we’ve much to look forward to. Especially tomorrow, when we’re roasting our Christmas turkey.

What? A little early you say?

Ah, but there’s madness in our method!

By doing our annual Big Bird early, we free up the actual festive days for something we can make up quickly and easily. Turkey slices topped with cream and grated cheese and grilled for a few minutes and served with home-cut chunky chips and Brussels’ sprouts for example – the whole meal takes no more than thirty minutes. And it’s quite delicious.

And so, instead of worrying about our Xmas din dins, we can pop open a bottle of fizz and put on a favourite video – something like Casablanca, or Calamity Jane, or The Jungle Book.

Actually, we’re having our Christmas Day lunch out this year, with friends, but the principle still applies to the rest of the festive season generally.

With friends… Yes, somehow after this ghastly year we’re more aware of our friends and we’re deeply grateful for them. We really are very lucky to have them.