Daily Prompts: Soul Mate

Got a soul mate and /or best friend? What is it about that person that you love best? Describe then in detail– leave no important quality out.

After many false starts, I re-found the person that suits me best when I was in my 50s. We both had families, so it was important that these children were happy with our marriage too.

Christopher and I grew up together. He being an only child, joined our family often. My eldest, of four brothers, was sporty like Christopher. My father bought a farm and we’d all go there for holidays. Here we learnt the value of simple living, appreciating nature and finding our own fun; like going around the farm singing mad songs, poking dead sheep’s stomachs till they exploded, and picking wild flowers.  Christopher taught me the meaning of ‘pop’ music; he had an enquiring mind and I was there to blot up whatever he told me.

When I was eleven I went to my first Grammar Ball with Christopher. It was a formal occasion, and my first year at boarding school. We began our circuits of the ball room at a fast pace, trying to see how many circuits we could do to other’s one. That sense of fun has never dwindled.

Following Chris to Art School was another link in our lives. He took me to lunch in my first week where we bought a frankfurt sausage; he then recommended which mustard I might like. He also suggested that if I linked up with my Italian lettering teacher, I’d be part of his ‘gang’, which of course I was very willing to do.

I married said ‘teacher’ and Chris married Priscilla, both in 1967.

Our lives linked up over the years, often at Christmas time, as we’d both return to visit our parents who were close friends. The games of Solo, ( a card game), were filled with hand signals and cheating our way through hilarious evenings.

Chris’ partner left to become a lesbian when the youngest completed year 12. My 2nd marriage broke up about the same time. Our careers were involving and we both took lovers;  eventually, the threads of our lives became interwoven, (by correspondence at first). Attending my brother’s 50th birthday together, and Chris bringing the painting he’d painted; that I’d organised for my siblings and I to give to Clive on this occasion.

Qualities of this man: humour, loving, dependable, talented, intelligent, caring, non judgemental, easy to live with; similarities that enabled us to link up with out any stress. Having a shared background means that we can share discussions of our past and know the relevant people. This is just a snippet of the many qualities Chris possesses. Writing ‘Enduring Threads’ tells far more of this surprising story with its unexpected happy ending.