Thank you Fans

The sound of these fans form the background to my life during the autumn.

In the farmyard they hum and whirr day and night, blowing hot air into the huge grain stores to dry the wheat and beans. Once the correct humidity is achieved grain lorries arrive in the early hours, ratling past my door to take their harvest to the processing plants.

Today I met my fan number one, albeit briefly, and he never fails to tell me about the first time we met.
He, a newly qualified dentist, me, aged four making my first visit to have my little toothy-pegs checked.

I too remember the occasion vividly.

I was wearing a red cardigan, my kilt, white ankle socks and, I'm guessing, my Clarks sandals (the only shoes I owned). I remember the steep, white painted stairs to the waiting room that had one of those black and white plastic basket weave chairs, that you could stick your fingers through, and a little formica coffee table with 'Country Life' magazines.

He came out to meet us and my mum said "Right. I'm off, see you in half an hour"
I remember going through to the consulting room and struggling to climb into the chair. He had the cleanest smelling hands in the world, and I loved the taste of that pink drink.

He recalls being petrified at being left for the first time ever with a small child. Apparently no other mother had said "Right I'm off" before.

It goes without saying, I was perfectly behaved and after about 10 minutes I was decanted from the large dentist's chair back into the waiting room, where I sat 'reading' the magazines and getting the pattern of the chair printed onto my legs. Mum returned on the dot. Job done.

From then on my parents formed a strong friendship with Mr H and his wife which has continued until the present day. He has been a constant presence through my life and I love him to bits.

If you look carefully there is also a Fan two, a virtually new fan, about whom I know nothing, but whose writing makes me chuckle a lot!
Hello!