Herbert Sherbert

DDW's October 2013 Challenge Day 20: A memory

This Acer grows in a pot in memory of my Father, Herbert Berisford Lansdell. He passed away at the grand old age of 88 having put up with me calling him Herbert Sherbert for many of those years.

He was a very proud man, with a cheeky and youthful humour and a habit of saying flippin' 'eck with almost every sentence. No one could take more than two steps into the house without being offered a whiskey, no matter what time of day and he loved nothing more than staying up late at parties chatting to the ladies.

He served in the Second World War but somehow managed to wangle playing drums in a jazz band to entertain the troops because he didn't like fighting. He always lived life his own way and pursued happiness over all else.

He was 51 when I was born and out partying with one of the staff nurses. I wasn't expected that night and he had tickets to see a band, obviously my Mum couldn't go and he didn't want to waste the tickets. Flippin' 'eck Dad!