5 February - Compendiums & Tributes

In Covent Garden one Saturday I run into Jan and his two kids who I have not seen for at least 3 years. I register he’s filled up from being a v. v. skinny man and that the youngest child was a baby last time I visited. We don’t stop for long except for him to give me his wife’s mobile number which I save on my phone and say I will call her, go visit, been too long. After he walks away my friend asks how do I know them and I tell him. I mean, I went to Jan and Am’s wedding, I was there on their second date, I worked with her on and off for some years, we met in the mid 80’s, and I sometimes see in some magazines the beautiful jewellery that her former boss and friend K. started selling after she jacked in her successful PR company. I know her sisters, I like them, I’ve met her mother, her brother, I was sorry when she miscarried her second child, I nearly went on holiday to her Moroccan family home, and so on. At some point they tried to set me up with his friend Addison but it never took off. I would like to see them but for what? It’s been 3 weeks and I haven’t called that number. I have no intention to do so. It would mean organising a trip south of the river for a lunch on Sunday and then what? We would revert to hearing from each other once every few months as there are no basis for this friendship any more. They would never trek to where I live, organising kids seems to be something that parents only do if they have to go and visit family. We are no longer held together by shared jobs or going out. Sure we could fill an afternoon with catching up but then what? After you’ve run out of ‘do you remember so and so, he’s now doing this and she’s doing that’ until they go on to tell you about someone who you’re sure you never met and is something to do with someone else and you realise there’s not enough to link you…..
Like Am, I realise there’s been many lovely people that have contributed to many, many years of ‘passing the time’ and I forget how many. So here’s a compendium of lost friends whilst I remember, some may be dead even, who knows. I’ll list them and when I’m in the right frame of mind I’ll sum up who they were and what we did. I better leave ex lovers out or… maybe not? They were friends after all.
Kerry, Judy B, Jon R, Mul, DB, Eff, Ing, Fi, Liz & C, Cal, .... am sure many more will come to mind over athe last 25 years or so if we count only friends made in adulthood.