Breaking Free

Hopefully a metaphor (worth a click!)

I was reminded last night, and rightly so, that between all the hours at the computer and despite all the current stress I still manage to live a very rich life. I need to acknowledge that and declare my gratitude. I'm very privileged compared to the great proportion of the human population on this planet.

Work was again difficult and stressful but there were highlights of joy first thing this morning (witnessed here during a short walk on the moor before going into the office) and at lunchtime when I enjoyed a wonderful encounter with another of Shipley's great characters. He was born in Idle just a few miles away and has spent all of his 89 years in and around the vicinity of Shipley. Despite his poor hearing he detected immediately that I wasn't from around here. I'm a southerner by birth and upbringing but trying hard to be adopted as a northerner!

"Where's your flat cap," he asks.
"I've not qualified for mine yet," I respond. "You have to live in Yorkshire for 25 years before you can even apply for your cap, and I've still two years of apprenticeship to serve. Where's yours then," I ask in return.
"It blew off in 1934," he replies. "The windiest day I've ever known. Blowing a gale."
"And you never thought to replace it?," I question.
"No".

His sense of humour is as dry as it comes! He told me that he's recovered from lung cancer, has bad hearing and very poor sight, plus a few other health problems - but I can testify that upstairs he's still pin sharp. As I got my camera out the conversation naturally turned to photography and after I told him about my lunchtime photo expeditions around Market Square he revealed that for many years he did the same where he worked in Bingley, just a few miles up the valley. Always had a camera with him. I asked him what kind of photos he took and his reply filled me with joy and quite a bit of excitement. He told me that he was always looking out for the quirky. He's got thousands of pictures and has no idea what to do with them. I took his phone number!

They might, of course, be terrible pictures, but there is always just that chance that Shipley has here its own Vivian Maier. Bingley is not quite New York or Chicago, but I'm really keen to see what kind of quirkiness he has captured. He might be sitting on a treasure trove. Who knows? At the very least I'm hoping there might be enough of historic interest to get some exhibited locally. I think he'd rather like that. It looks like I've acquired another project to help fill all that spare time I have on my hands!!

PS I'm going to blip my new best friend once he's famous. I feel quite protective of him at the moment!