Farewell, Monster

At the last minute, confirmation of our mother’s estate came through yesterday from the Sheriff Court. Just in time for my brother in the south of England and I to sign the Missives to allow the sale of her flat to be concluded for transfer tomorrow. Thank heavens for email, home printers and Special Delivery.

It meant that today I had to go down to North Berwick, do a final tidy up and clear out and hand in the keys.

We’ve included some furniture and other items in the sale. One of them is this sideboard. Some 55 or so years ago my parents bought it in a house clearance for a small sum. It is not very valuable but through my childhood it has always been there with its to my mind Bacchanalian figures and carvings, behind which often lay various bottles and glasses.

It was from there that, one Festive period as I sat up on my own late at night watching Quatermass and the Pit! I poured myself a stiff drink to watch the end of the film. I was definitely underage but everyone else was asleep and it helped me get through the bit in the film where, I think it was Julian Glover’s face, began to melt.

The sideboard, or The Monster as we called it, was used lay out buffets on. To store cards and photos. To support Christmas trees. And, always, a sodastream machine with its CO2 capsules. Oh, and cocktail sticks and little umbrellas.

So it has been a part of my life. It is too big for our rooms and we have more than enough furniture. As a result we have left it for the new owners as part of the sale for them to decide if they wish to keep it or to pass it on. I hope it gives them years of use if they keep it.

But it was with a touch of sadness I said farewell.