Chrissie in memoriam

Copyright Michael Coatesworth.

Last revised: March 08, 2008

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Aunt Chrissie, taken just after receiving Maundy Money from the Queen!

Street party after the war

Aunt Chrissie seventh from right in front of my granddad and standing next to my grandmother fifth from right

Aunt Chrissie

Aunt Chrissie was our mother, our friend
Looked after us, cared for us
Nurtured us and saw that we were fed
She talked to us, and listened when we spoke
Laughed with us when we were happy
Cried with us when we were sad

Aunt Chrissie was deaf and blind
Her life was hard and cruel
She was strong and kind
Instilled in us right from wrong
Stood stalwart at our side when we strayed
Taught us to see the world around us
Showed us how to be brave

Aunt Chrissie has not gone
She's with me every day
Guiding me, comforting me
Showing me the way
I miss her calling me “Mickey”
Our walks in the park
I showed her the light
While she lived in the dark

Aunt Chrissie I know that you can hear
I know that you can see
Save a place in heaven
Once again I'll sit upon your knee
Your tales I did enjoy
I listened to every word
Your laughter on the swings
Creaking chains can still be heard

Aunt Chrissie I know you're at my side
Helping me, coaxing me, while I write
I've tried to be the best for you
Tried with all my might
I love you my dear mother
I've strayed from your guiding hand
Your teachings of yesteryear
Forgiveness is your wondrous light
Please don't shed a tear
Save a place for me, on your right

Mike (Mickey) Coatesworth

*******

When I was a lad, and my brother and myself were out on a leisurely walk with our Aunt Chrissie. She loved her walks, and very rarely went out without at least one of us with her. As we walked along the cobbled street she would point to the shops and describe them in detail. For example, as we passed the bakery, she stopped and closed her eyes and took in a deep breath and had us do the same. She asked if we could smell the fresh bread.

Chrissie 2nd from left on holiday

Both my brother and I did the same and confirmed to her that we could. Then she said to keep our eyes closed and describe the shop. Although we had passed the shop many times before and even entered it; we could not describe it properly. Like most people we had taken it for granted that the shop was there and sold bread and cakes.

She asked us to open our eyes and take a good look at the shop and the surrounding area and even the inside of the shop. This we did and looking around we took in everything that was possible for young lads to take in. People passing didn't take much notice of what we were doing, they probably presumed that it was a mother playing with her children.

After a few moments, our Aunt asked us to close our eyes again and describe what we had taken in.

We told her that the brown painted front of the shop was divided into 16 small sections of glass panels, and the door was a solid brown door with fancy curved black handles and in the centre of the door was a large ornate knocker. Underneath the knocker was a black metal slot for posting letters. Above the shop was a large sign "Ronnie's Bakery." Inside the shop was a long brown counter and on the counter was wicker baskets of bread and teacakes, large and small. And there were two women behind the counter.

Outside the shop, was a cobbled main street with people walking up and down. Well for young lads, this was quite an achievement!

I remember Aunt Chrissie praising us and informing us on how well we'd done. She told us that with practise we would be able to describe everything around us.

We were a little puzzled, as we thought that we already had achieved this?

Smiling and running her fingers through our hair, she explained that we hadn't noticed the man across the street repairing the gas lamp, and we hadn't noticed the horse being led to the farriers probably to have new shoes put on. There were lots of other things that we hadn't noticed, but the most important thing and the most obvious, was, we hadn't mentioned our Aunt!

Without realising it, we had taken her for granted.

Over the following months, she played this game with us and we really enjoyed it. What we didn't know at the time was that our Aunt was losing her sight and when this finally happened, she was hoping that when we went out, we would be able to describe the surroundings to her.

'Sight is a precious thing,' she informed us. 'Don't take it for granted, look around you, and take stock of your surroundings, then you won't end up with any nasty surprises.

Later on in life when I was in the army, I reckon her words saved my life a couple of times.

Now every time I pass a bakery and smell the fresh bread, my mind wanders back in time for a few moments, and once again I'm going down that cobbled street with my Aunt.

If you had met her, I know you would have liked her.

*******

I remember the time that my Aunt Chrissie placed me on her knee on one of the occasions that I needed cheering up. I had just got belted by my stepmother for accidentally losing "Half a Crown" whilst out shopping for her, and no matter how hard I searched, I was unable to find it. So it was a very slow walk home that day and I resigned myself to the punishment that I knew I would receive. Afterwards I went to my Aunt Chrissie as I knew I would receive sanctuary there in her arms, and besides which, my stepmother wouldn't come near my Aunt, as she was afraid of her.

So here I was once again on my Aunt's knee, and as she brushed away my tears and hugged me close to her, I could smell the carbolic soap that she used. It wasn't unpleasant, it is an aroma that once smelled, you never forget it, and for some reason it always tends to bring back memories, a bit like unlocking a door to part of the brain that has been stored away for years.

She told me of my Uncle Eddie, he was a carpenter on board a ship, and of course his nickname was chips. Unfortunately, his ship was sunk in WW2 and he didn't make it back. In the corner of my Aunt's room was a huge sea chest that had once belonged to him and she told me that it contained some of his tools that he used when he did some of his carpentry at home.

She told me how she would often sit near him and watch him at work, "he had the patience of a saint," she said. When he was creating something, he put every ounce of his skill and knowledge into it to make his finished product an object to admire. She told me how he would carefully clean his tools afterwards and ensure that they were wrapped up neatly and placed away in his chest ready for use the next time.

Taking me off her knee for a moment, she walked over to the corner of her room and picked up a large covered object and brought it over to me. Removing the cover revealed a five-foot high by three-foot wide solid wooden board that had the lord's prayer carved onto it and ornate carvings surrounded it. Aunt Chrissie informed me that this was her Brother Eddie's last present to her before he was lost at sea.

I ran my fingers over the carving and thought to myself that my Uncle Eddie sure knew his work as this was something that had not been rushed, he had taken pride in his work and created a piece of work that I have always admired.

Putting the masterpiece back in the corner, she took me on her knee again.

"Whatever you decide to do in life" she told me. "Make sure that you do something that will have people proud of what you have achieved, then you will be remembered for all the good things. Any mistakes that you made along the way would be forgotten."

*******

One of the things I remember as a lad, was when my Aunt Chrissie called me into her room and gave me sixpence to buy a bag of cinder toffee for bonfire night. I knew that she couldn't really afford it, but to refuse would not only have meant no toffee, but it meant that I would have offended her. Even at the age of eight, I knew that Aunt Chrissie wanted to feel needed and besides giving her a hug and going to her when we were hurt, this was our way of showing it.

I smile now as I write this as I can hear her laughter behind me, and I know that she is watching over me. I remember seeing her sad at times, but I never saw her angry once! It was as if she realised that children need love and understanding.

When I was a lad, I used to sit on my Aunt Chrissie's knee and she would tell me about the different things that had happened in her life. Once she informed me about the time that she found a crow with an injured wing and she repaired the wing as best she could, hoping that nature would take care of the rest. After taking care of it for a couple of weeks and feeding it, the bird was soon on its way to recovery.

A few weeks later, my Aunt was walking down the footpath and with things on her mind. She turned to cross the road, when suddenly a large black bird making a loud "cawing" sound flew directly at her, causing her to stop and come out of her reverie and place her arms up in front, in defence, just as the car drove past in front of her. She looked at the crow now perched on her shoulder, and realised that the bird had just saved her from being knocked down by the car.

She told me that if I go out in to the world and do good, it would be returned four fold.

*****

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My novels can be seen at

http://www.btinternet.com/~mikeco158/onetear1.htm

http://www.btinternet.com/~mikeco158/cuppa1.htm

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