chaplin

Sunday, December 07, 2008

Tale Of The Unexpected

Next Saturday our son is due to return after six months in Brazil. We haven't seen him in that time. Unsurprisingly we were planning the coming week with his return in mind. Something to look forward to in the midst of the usual pre-Christmas melancholy. Big reunion at Heathrow on Saturday.

Yesterday morning the entirely unexpected happened. I was in my workroom at home. I heard a noise behind me and there he was, big grin all over his face.

He had decided to come a week early. His sister was in on the secret, as were most of the under-30s in London, and she had gone to pick him up from the airport. His mother and I were, it goes without saying, knocked sideways in a way that we rarely are. Ever since it happened we've been trying to recreate that moment of open-mouthed astonishment in our heads. Twenty four hours later we're still shaking our heads as if dazed.

Meanwhile the young ones have been walking round with the proud look that young ones wear when they manage to put one over on you comprehensively. Wouldn't have it any other way. Today we are killing a fatted calf.

6 comments:

  1. What a lovely story. I bet you're grinning from ear to ear today.

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  2. It is a great story indeed. I hope you're having a wonderful day at Hepworth House.

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  3. I was in on it too, and I'm over 40.

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  4. That's fantastic, I'm glad they managed to pull off the surprise. I live in the USA and I'm planning on doing the same thing to my parents in the UK one of these days.

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  5. What a lovely story. Thanks, as they say, for sharing.

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  6. I'm the the States too and if I did that my mum would say "What the bloody hell are you doing here? I haven't tidied up!"

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