Friends like these

Once upon a time, there was a 13 year old girl living in London in the 1950's. She was very shy and found it hard to make friends. Once day her teacher suggested to her mum that she found a pen pal, that way she might overcome her shyness. 'What a good idea!' said her mum and within weeks (things took that long in those days), she was writing to a 12 year old boy just about as far away from London as you can image, South Africa.

Very quickly they formed a strong bond and wrote pages, telling each other about their lives and families. They become close confidants as they grew up into their teenage years and 20's. By 23 though, our previously shy girl had turned into a beautiful woman and was engaged to be married. 'I can't write to you any more, I'm getting married', she explained, 'It's simply not the done thing' (well, it was the 1960's!). Sadly their correspondence stopped and each moved on with their lives, having never met or spoken ever before.

One day, many years later, our 13 year old boy, now in his mid 30's with a wife, children of his own and living in another far away land, Australia, decided to try and find his long lost pen pal. After all those years of not knowing where she was, he hadn't forgotten her and remembered her often. He sent a letter to her previous address but alas her family had moved long ago.

The man who received that letter though looked at it long and hard. 'Wasn't it addressed to the Auntie of one of the teenagers who caught his bus sometimes?' he pondered. He carried that letter around with him for weeks until, quite by chance, he met the teenager at the bus stop. The teenager thanked the man for the letter, agreed that yes it was his Auntie and that he'd pass it on.

Well...teenagers are teenagers, and it took some time for the letter to actually fall into the right persons hands, but when it did, it was opened by a woman in shock! All these years had gone by! Her pen pal still remembered her! She read it over and over, he told her all about his wife and children and their home in Australia. By this time, it's the 1980's and she was married to her second husband, who far from being the jealous type, was amazed and delighted to reunite his wife and her long lost pen pal.

They called Australia, and for the first time, the pen pals heard each others voices over the phone. Within months, a trip was being organised, from England to Australia. For Janette, her husband John and their two children, Lynette and Craig. It was in January 1982 and at Sydney airport in Australia the pen pals finally met. Sal introduced his wife Liz and their children Tracy and Jonathan. Two families united at last, they spent three glorious months together, the other side of the world.

From then on, they called, they wrote and when e-mails were new, they emailed, determined that they'd always be in touch. They were even lucky enough to enjoy a fleeting visit from Sal when he was on business in England almost 17 years later!

You might have guessed by now, that that shy little girl Janette, was my mum and this weekend my brother Craig, and I, were beside ourselves with excitement as we sprang THE biggest surprise ever on our mum. After spinning a web of lies and untruths, after over explaining complicated reasons why she should be at a certain place at a certain time, my mum, now in her 60's walked into a seemingly perfectly innocent restaurant to be greeted by yours truly – not so perfectly innocent. As she went to sit down, I suggested she may want to say hello to the people across the bar. Very slowly, a look of recognition spread across her face, followed by a look of...well, see below and make up your own mind what she was thinking as there, right in front of her were Liz who she hadn't seen for over 27 years and Sal who she hadn't seen for a decade!

 
 
 
I have to say that one cannot possibly describe the elation my brother and I felt at being able to surprise our mum like that or the pleasure in watching all three of them laugh and talk and catch up all evening long.
 
Neither can I put into words the level of excitement that this 30 something endured! Minute by minute was painstakingly accounted for in the lead up to the big surprise and I never, ever want to be THAT stressed ever again! Not that I will...because my poor mum won't ever believe anything that I tell her ever again!  But that's what friends (and children) are for!

Comments

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I sprung a similar surprise on my parents for their 40th Anniversary not so long ago. They thought they were going for a leisurely lunch with my sister, brother-in-law & niece and instead my sister and I arranged for 15 of their closest friends to join us for a champagne reception and lunch too.

The look on their faces as more and more people turned up at their house unexpectedly was priceless and never have I been more happy to be able to spring such a wonderful surprise on my parents who have been an amazing strength and support in my life.

Its great when you can give something back - however small. Its truly the thought that counts.