“All the time before I knew you
Seems now so long
And I cannot explain
Even if I try
No, you never make it easy
Know it’s hard to be strong
But all in good time
I can wait”
- Jake Bugg
We watched ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ on Monday night. Well, most of us watched it , Robyn had a mucic lesson and ‘missed’ it. At dinner on Tuesday evening she asked the rest of us what we thought of it and I was taken aback at how enthusiastic Jake and Elliott were about it.
I said it was a bubblegum movie and I still wasn’t sure what it was supposed to be about.
Robyn asked “Wasn’t Millie Bobby Brown in it ?”, knowing that I’m a huge Stranger Things fan.
“Yes, but you could remove every scene she’s in from the movie and it wouldn’t change the story…if it has a story.”
She then asked Elliott what mark he’d give it out of 10.
“8”
“8 ?!? Seriously ?” I was incredulous. “ I’ve sat you down and shown you my favourite movies , classics, profound expressions of art, and you get up and leave after 15 minutes.”
“Yes” Elliott replied, “But you say they are profound, and they aren’t. Last night I wanted to see a lizard slap a big monkey around, and I got my monies worth.”
I give up.
We’re all made from the things we’ve seen, the people we’ve met, experiences we’ve had, and PROFOUND movies we’ve seen.
There’s an old 1970’s Rossmore mahogany dresser cabinet in our kitchen that originally came from my Soulmate’s family home. It’s painted, wallpapered and Bondified now and filled with random things that make our house a home.
There’s a Mamod Traction Engine that Santa got me in 1978, a Russian doll that I bought on a school trip to Leningrad in 1982, a wooden ship Jake made in woodwork in First year, pieces of Stephen Pierce pottery that we bought in Macroom each time we were at a Lyon’s wedding and two ‘F#ck 2020’ Christmas decoration 3D printed by Kae.
There are two large glass Kilner clip top jars that we had once intended to fill with weekly agreed savings, both empty. Two large plates from Mihas that we originally bought to give as presents, but loved , and kept. My Soulmates 2019 Dublin City Marathon medal, and commemorative display of same given to her by fellow Gazelle , Karen. A real freaky one-eyed monster , made in Mrs.Harraghey’s class by Elliott. My Soulmate’s parents’ wedding album, little books, pieces of literature, and a hand written poem by Colm Keegan.
There’s a jar of memories that the kids and I wrote out for Eileen on coloured paper and tied each one with pieces of golden string…the coloured paper is fading now. My Soulmate’s Dad’s baby shoe, left, don’t know where the right one is. A terracota Sphinx that my Granda kept in his family farmhouse in Dernaseil and gave to me when I was 6. A collection of robins made from wood, clay, porcelain and a set of two that came with a plinth which has a wee plaque on it saying ‘Robins by Leonardo’…it’s not that Leonardo. A Celtic circle and cross by the Wild Goose Studio in Kinsale…another Lyons’ family event. An old black and white handled magnifying glass that I’d always thought belonged to her Granda, Capt.McKenna, but she’s just informed me she bought herself upstairs in Flemings. There are several wee Lladro pieces that we bought in Barcelona, when the kids were born, or just because we liked them.And a wee pot ‘Sonas’ recently acquired from Ciara O’Keefe.
There’s another bunch of assorted medals from my Soulmate’s various marathon’s, halfs, 10k’s and a carved board to hang them all on given to her by Grainne, the other Gazelle. A Waterford Crystal bowl filled with handmade cards from and to each other and handwritten promises and pledges from when we had no money for presents….some quite recent. A plastic crocodile called Jam. Several ashtrays from a Chinese restaurant called Wings in London that we used to love whenever we attended fashion fairs in Earl’s Court when we lived in Belfast . Welsh slate heart shaped coasters that we picked up when staying with the Liddys. Other coasters made of glass with photos of us in them from the Camino. And a set of Russian dolls painted to look like us, my Soulmate is painted in a black leather jacket and looks cool, I’m the outside doll, the largest, roundest…it’s surprisingly accurate.
And all that’s just one side of the dresser….and we have more than one dresser !
All of these little things are part of who we are, what makes us, us.
Like movies, such as The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Harvey, Goodfellas, Blade Runner, The Princess Bride, Highlander, PROFOUND movies !
What makes you , you ?
Toodles,
Paul
