Time for Old Friends

Have been trying hard to catch up with friends who I've neglected the last few months.  This afternoon Kate F came round, and as usual we soon fell into conversation as if we had only seen each other yesterday. 

G had been working, but got finished early, and when he came home his family popped in to visit on their way home.  It was the first time the in-laws had met Kate, and I was explaining how she was my oldest friend, and that we met on my first day at secondary school in Perth, when we were both put on the same dinner table. 

Kate explained to Janice (mother in law) that we had been friends ever since, for 35 years.  I had to put her right; it's been 45 years! 

Needless to say, as any other friendships of such a length, we've been through a lot together - and apart.  Her first husband was Libyan, and she went to live in Tripoli for a number of years; not a happy experience for her.  In the days before email and Facebook, we used to write each other long letters, detailing all the daily stuff and supporting each other through problems and disappointments. 

Our daughters were the same age, although curiously they were never friends, and their lives have turned out so differently.  Mine, to my great happiness, is married with children and has a job she likes and lots of friends she loves.  Poor as a church mouse, always trying to keep on top of the family organisation,  but overall rich in life I think. 

Hers is single, after a number of failed relationships.  She lives on her own, and has put work above friendships.  Kate is desperately worried about her, as she thinks that if anything happened to her, her daughter would have no-one in the world to turn to. 

I had booked tickets for G and I to catch up with another old friend tonight, Mad Max.  He is one of those shared things that couples remember from their early days together. 

I had first seen the first Mad Max movie when I only had a black and white TV, so I didn't know it had been filmed in colour.  When G and I started seeing each other, 20 years ago, he was a wee biker (a devilishly handsome wee biker at that!), and I was a barmaid.  You know how when you start seeing someone new there are all those dates that turn into all night sessions, where you sit on the sofa from dark through to daylight, discussing all the things you have in common?

Well, early on in one of those we discovered how much we both loved Mad Max, and that we could both quote whole speeches from it!  The night I realised that I had fallen totally in love with him was when I was about to go off on holiday with my sister, and he rode up on his bike to say goodbye before I left for the airport. 

As we drove off I heard him shouting after me, "See you on the road Skag" in a dreadful approximation of an Australian accent!  Boing!  That was it - never looked at another man since.  And amongst my Christmas presents that year, he bought me the box set of Mad Max movies which have been watched many times over the years since. 

Anyway, I just heard the other day that there had been a new MM movie, directed by the same guy who did the original.  Obviously it's not Mel this time, as he has gone potty now and become (apparently) a drunken anti-Semitic wife-beater.  It's an actor called Tom Hardy, and this movie is not a remake, it's the 4th one in the series, and has Charlize Theron as co-star. 

I booked us tickets this morning, so when we got rid of all our visitors we took ourselves off to MacDonald's for tea (I know!  but we only go about once every 5 years, and I really fancied a Quarterpounder with Cheese meal) and then off to the movies.

Our local cinema is the Playhouse, in Perth.  It's recently been totally revamped, and has a café and bar in it as well as a state-of-the art IMAX screen, which is where we watched the movie in all its 3-D glory. 

No need for a spoiler alert, I'm not going to reveal the plot.  I'm just going to say it was Fffffffff-fab!  The 3-D was great, Tom Hardy - whoever he is - was great, Charlize was as amazing as she always is, and so was Nicholas Hoult,( previously of Skins and a movie with Hugh Grant). 

When we snuggled down in our luxury seats with our beer (him), coffee (me) and popcorn, we were soon joined in the row by two other couples who looked incredibly straight laced (who wears a suit to go to the movies on a Saturday night?).  Gordon glanced over and said to me "they don't look like the age group I'd imagine would come to see a Mad Max movie".  I had a wee look, and whispered back " darlin', I think they are the same age as us"!

While we were waiting for the film to start, a lady from further along our row came over and sat beside me, and said "are you Carol who used to work in ....".  I recognised her immediately, and said that I was , and we had a chat about what we were doing now, and our kids etc. 

So, all in all it's been a day for catching up, and re-acquainting, and being happy to realise that the people I loved and was close to many years ago are the same people I love and care for now. 

Hey - call me a sap if you want! 

Now my young Lochinvar has headed off up to bed, and I'm going to claim the big TV and watch the original MM by myself, with a bit of doggy company and a wee glass of red.  Night night blip chums.