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 Post 1520. Sunday April 30

A fond farewell from good folk of Amble Bay

Good morning all. 

'Coffees all round Maisy, please. Oh, and one tea for Emily'

There's something I need to tell you.

Arthur always leaves The Fish Inn at ten precisely. ‘Off to get some ZZZs’ he always says.  But last night he left at nine. ‘Get everyone a drink’ he said, placing a £50 note on the bar, ‘I’m not feeling too well’

‘Best get some ZZZ’s then’ said Dan.

'Best get some ZZZ's Arthur' 

Arthur said nothing as he wandered out the door.

Once home, he opened the bottom drawer of the kitchen dresser and rummaged through the mass of papers. He dragged out a large brown envelope and placed it in the centre of the old oak table before heading for his bed.

Earlier this morning, Zena the Cleaner let herself into Arthur’s farm house, just as she did every morning. Her first job was to make Arthur’s bed. He always left at daybreak to start work on the farm.

But not today.

‘Arthur?’ she said.

Zena shook his shoulder and shook it again. He didn’t stir.

‘Arthur?’ 

She fled in tears to the kitchen and slumped herself down at the old oak table. She noticed the envelope; her name was scribbled on it. She pulled out some papers. 

Arthur had planned today and the coming days to the smallest detail.

Arthur liked a joke. Just yesterday he said  ‘I saw an advert for funeral plots. That’s the last thing I need!’

I'm sorry your visit to Amble Bay ended on a sad note. Please come back one day, we really enjoyed your company.

~Coda~

The sun shone brightly for Arthur’s funeral. Pete’s place was packed. The choir sang All Things Bright and Beautiful as he'd wished. Holy Jo spoke, I spoke, several of us spoke.

Then it was back to the Fish Inn to celebrate his life. Dapper Dan spoke, Iris spoke. We recalled our favourite memories, we sang his favourite songs.

How we laughed.

  

And how we cried.

  

The community clubbed together to place this bench beneath Florence’s cherry tree. It’s the seat she always wanted; somewhere they can sit, two souls together.

This morning as I stood here, I heard two voices in the breeze.

‘We had fun Arthur, didn’t we?’ whispered one.

‘What did you say Florence?’ whispered the other.

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