Mrs Cox continues her isolation by chatting with her husband Lenny who died 75 years earlier – just at the end of the Second World War.
Gordon Bennett they’m droppin’ like ninepins, Lenny. Everytime I turn on the wireless and there’s someone else gone down with the pop. T’aint choosy neither – even copt Prime Minister Boris – in intensive care he wus; touch and go poor mite. I mean, allus got him down as a bit of a clown – but since he got elected and ‘ad to face this lot he’s certainly grown a pair.
He wus really statesman-like when he talked to us from the podium the first time. D’aint lecture – though some of course thought he should – no he tried to mek us part of the answer if you follow me?
Came across as a regular bloke, norra toff. I mean he daint sign up for this really – he was expecting it all about that Brexit malarkey and he’d be battling about fish and stuff, not bugs – all that seems a million miles away now.
No there’s a lot about Winnie in Boris – ‘Cometh the hour – cometh the man’ it seems. Why, he was outside number 10 clappin’ his dannies with the rest on us – well I wasn’t clappin on account of the arthritis in me fingers but I was a banging a biscuit tin with a wooden spoon. Looking back though– he did look more than a mite peaky. Anyway seems he’s on the mend thank ‘eavens.
Eric’s eldest, Alex – or ‘Spanners’ as I calls ‘im – on account of him bein’ a tradey of course – an all rounder when it comes to fixin’ homes and gardens too for that matter – where was I? Oh yes he rang us this mornin’ to see if I was alright. Good Cox family spirit – look after each other and everything else will look after itself – s’what you said and what I allus told ‘em all.
Anyways, Spanners is a cheeky wag – always there with a a witticism to lighten the day. I was feelin’ down after hearing about Boris but Spanners says “I’m just checkin Gran-Grans you ‘ent got yourself a toy boy moved in. Not allowed – unless yow kep your social distance”
“You’m a cheeky begger Spanners and no mistake!” I retorts and then we talked about his family – Amber his wife’s an ‘airdresser but she ain’t doin’ none of that coiffuring at the moment and so ‘as turned ‘er ‘and to baking. “Got a slice of Victoria Sponge with fresh cream to drop off to you and Amber says you alright for bog roll?”
Well, I was down to me last two as it happens and apparently it’s rarer than rockin’ horse poo in the shops but Spanners bein’ Spanners ‘knows people’. I think it’s what they call a new paper currency. That’s what Spanner said – unless of course he was jesting me?
Anyway he comes round with me cake and a pack of nine loo rolls – he put ‘em on the doorstep and then steps back outside the gate and we ‘ad a nice little chat about how his kids are passing their days. “D’you know Gran Gran they’m goin’ to be beggin’ to get back to school when the time comes.”
Oh another thing happened – nice thing – chap from one of them Indian places came at the same time as Spanners was gesticulating. Kept ‘is distance like and spoke from his van window. He’d took it upon ‘iself to bring free curry suppers to us golden oldies. ‘Course Spanners tries to nob one too but he sens Spanners on ‘is boike – they shared a laugh and I had the curry for dinner. Not sommat I’d do as routine – but it was much appreciated.
In fact wee’m all startin’ to appreciate things again Lenny – we miss what we ‘ad – yus, me ‘an all –what I miss is the family hugs – that more than anything. What we took for granted.
Little things Lenny – little things. G’night mate.
