It is almost ten years since my mother died. When we were clearing her flat I gathered what remained of her papers and keepsakes and stored them in a large plastic box in our garage. It seems about time to delve in there now that time has knocked the corners off loss. One of the first things I came across was a tiny plastic wallet, the kind you keep credit cards in. I can't recall my mother ever having a credit card, but she had made use of it for storing a collection of small photographs which she carried around in her purse. So I have opened the wallet and, in no particular order, started scanning the pictures, the photos from my mother's purse. Here is the first.
That is my brother Roger and it must have been taken in the early 1960s. He had a job in Leeds and had acquired a motor scooter to travel to work each day. I remember it was a Bella Zundapp and it was a dark red colour. I can almost see it in front of me now, the memory of it is so strong.
Great photo..says it all...When my partner was helping his mother to move home he came across a tin of red Lambretta paint. The Lambretta had long gone but they hung on the paint 'just in case'.
ReplyDeleteOh I recognise that mind-set.
DeleteAh, what a poignant task you've set yourself. These mementoes must have been very special to your mum. I carry a few in my purse too, but in fact they are a pretty random selection. Even I'm not sure why they've ended up there, kind of singled out. I won't throw them out though. I haven't had the courage (or whatever I need) to start on my mum's photo collection yet. As you say, time knocks the corners off loss and I am sure one day I'll be able to get down to the task. Not yet though...
ReplyDeleteI remember doing the task of emptying billfolds three different times. If you wait a long time it is better but I found myself doing the jobs right away. I like the picture of your brother. I remember dress shoes of the sixties taking on a Spanish look with pointed toes and a thick higher heal. I always blamed it on the Beatles as they wore a version of them and the industry picked up on it. The memories of his ride meant maybe you wanted one of them too. I too have a few containers of my mom's papers and things that I just haven't gone through yet. It has been five years now and it is stowed away so I don't get to it.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was very young I found a photo at the bottom of my mother's recipe box of a man standing under a tree holding a guitar ...
ReplyDeleteI guess some of us are of an age where we leave some old negatives and prints in an old wallet when we go, but many will be floating around on the web on sites for which our subscriptions will have lapsed and we have not told our kids the password. Not quite the same.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was married our first vehicle was a Sears brand Vespa type scooter. I fell off once when the screws on the passenger seat failed and we went around a corner.
ReplyDeleteWow, you remind me of myself. My mother left us in January of 2008, and I have a large plastic tote filled with precious everyday things of hers, (yes her main or the purse in use during her passage, (my mother believed in shoes and purses for everything!) Ha! Ha! I'm not quite ready to open it yet, but soon.
ReplyDeleteAnd may I remind you hat your brother was a cool dude. Rather surprising the memories brought back by one photo.
ReplyDeleteWhat a find! You've left us on a cliffhanger here.... what's next I wonder....
ReplyDeleteI like John's point, think I will make a record of flickr and dropbox accounts and passwords for my daughter. She'll roll her eyes tomorrow but be glad one day.
Nice photo of Roger. I'm surprised by other comments about not being ready to sort things out yet. Dad only died a few months ago but I am daily reminded of him in so many ways, not least with photos, paintings and other mementoes. I wouldn't want to wait.
ReplyDeleteGreat pic,
ReplyDeletebut I always felt like
opening a woman's purse was a bit like
opening Pandora's box,
too private to be revealed,
in some cases...
revealing secrets and flaws/vulnerabilities.
Oh well!
:)~
HUGZ