Waiting!

Cardiff Times Editor (CTE), Tuesday 23rd May, thinks: Wyn hasn’t submitted his copy for June’s Cardiff Times yet. I wonder if he has forgotten there’s a Bank holiday? That loses us a day from the printing cycle. Admittedly…

Wyn email to CTE, Tuesday 23rd May: Hi Lou, will Thursday 25th be OK?

CTE, Tuesday 23rd May, thinks: … Admittedly, he has asked for the occasional deadline to be put back, but that’s OK. He’s never actually broken a deadline.

by Wyn Evans

my tent; my rucksack, coat, daps, boots and sleeping bag packed, with me sitting atop them waiting for mam and dad to take me home.

It was circa 1966. The Cardiff and District cub scouts clubs were out en masse for the weeklong camping trip at the grounds of Miskin Manor, in the Vale. Memory suggests that the week ran from Saturday afternoon through until the next Saturday morning. I think also, that our parents or guardians were responsible for transporting us there and back. Parents were invited to visit their kids, in camp, on something like the Tuesday or Wednesday afternoon, for sports activities. What can I write to convey the total awfulness of the whole experience?

On the first night we had a chicken meal that was only half-cooked through. A rumour began, which I cannot now give credence to, that Akela and Baloo had got their food packets mixed up and instead of gravy being poured on the chicken, it was Bird’s instant chocolate dessert. One of the Cub groups developed some sort of mass hysteria that they had been or were being poisoned and threw their plates of food onto the railway lines. (Or onto a road underneath a bridge but I think it was railway lines.) A member of our group got the runs and, I assume was sent home. The weather did no one any favours; our tent of hardy Cubs between us had precious few garments that were both clean and dry and come the Tuesday, when my parents came for sports day, they arrived to find me sitting outside

Dad and mam held a pow-wow with each other and then with Akela. My father took me to one side. He told me that he could see that some things were left to be desired as regards the organisation of the camp but that he would be very disappointed in me if I failed to see it through. What’s more I would be disappointed in myself if I quit. (Me: “No I won’t, it’s horrible, YOU stay here if you want to, I’m NOT”.) I’m glad to say that I did stick it out. You see, dad had entered into a negotiation with me about giving me a reward if I waited until the end of the week. When I got home the following Saturday there waiting for me was the Subbuteo Table Soccer game I’d coveted for months. ***

Cardiff Times Editor (CTE), Thursday 25th May, thinks: Wyn still hasn’t submitted his copy…

Wyn email to CTE, Tuesday 23rd May: Hi Lou, is Sunday 29th OK?

CTE, Thursday 25th May, return email: no problem. ***

Last week the Boss and I were streaming a movie on Amazon Prime: “Air: courting a legend”. It starred Matt Damon and Casey Affleck. This is a sports movie about Michael Jordan in theory but it’s more a business thriller which is enjoyable whether or not you like sport. Anyway (there are two ‘anyways’ coming up!), the film contained this classic line, which tickled my fancy and which may appeal to some of you: “A pair of shoes is just a pair of shoes until someone steps into them”. Anyway (and there you are patiently waiting for me to continue) half way through the movie my left arm developed a mind of its own. You know that I have Parkinson’s right? Well this was the first time that the Parky’s spasm truly figured in my life. Sitting innocently, moviewatching, holding a glass of chenin blanc in my left hand, when – ‘kapow!’ – it shot outwards and upwards, too much, to my horror, like a nazi salute, soaking The Boss, the dogs, and our Encyclopaedia Britannicas. Since then I have been waiting for its repeat performance. It’s most unnerving. There was no precursor shake - just full-steam ahead into San Andreas Fault territory. Happy to announce it’s only been the one so far. But the waiting is getting to me.

I’m reminded that a good friend’s father was responsible for two little girls going through agonies of waiting and uncertainty. Two sisters, aged ten and eight would be waiting by the front door, bags packed at the start of the weekend. They were expecting their father, who had left the family home, to collect them for his custody time. Unforgivably, he let them down on a number of occasions, before giving up all pretence at giving a damn, and moving abroad. Happily, the young girls’ mother was able to turn these upsetting episodes into something memorable, taking her daughters to beaches, on nature rambles, having ice cream afternoons, and book clubs. Our friend has learned to take her father’s promises with a pinch of salt. She’s given up waiting for an apology or any change in his approach to his progeny.

Wyn, without sending an email to CTE, thinks: well, it’s Sunday 28th with Bank Holiday Monday to follow. No way will Lou be sending it to the printers until Tuesday…

I know that a fair few of y’all have been wondering what’s happened to The Girl in recent columns. So, an apology to those of you who have been used to monthly updates here in the Times (and indeed, many of you opted for daily updates by visiting our Facebook page https:// www.facebook.com/BeatingDownsBarriers). Well, the truth is that it’s just a very quiet time; there are no trampolining or ballet competitions, or exams (though she does have some maths tests, hooray!), there are no Down Syndrome youth group sessions until early June and her DS Summer camp is not until the last week of term in July for which she has been given permission to absent herself from school to join the antics at Manor Adventure in Shropshire.

She is revelling in the licence that comes with teenagerhood (is that a word?) to do her own things either in her ‘thinking space’, her computer room or her dance space. Trouble is that those don’t make interesting posts for y’all! So I’d ask that you all keep tuning in and waiting for the updates to start flowing again after the holidays. We’ll do something interesting over half term, with pictures, I promise!

Cardiff Times Editor (CTE), Monday 29th May, thinks: he’s cutting it a bit fine…

Wyn email to CTE, Monday 29th May: Hi Lou, please find attached June’s article and associated pics.

Wyn thinks to himself: Phew, I shan’t be waiting so long to get next month’s copy in!

CTE thinks: Phew!