Sepia Saturday #58 You Can Drive My Car, but…I’m not happy about it!

 

 

TEST DRIVER

Little Pat and Little Hugh

In the yard, with nought to do;

Says Hugh, Can I have a go in your car?

Says Pat, As long as you don’t go far.

 

Both suspended up real good

Pat’s possessive, on his hood.

Little Hugh, he doesn’t care;

He’s charging Pat an extra fare!

Kat Mortensen©2011

 

The two boys in the picture are my father’s youngest brothers: Patrick, born about 1934 and Odran (Hugh), born in 1936.  

Unfortunately, Patrick developed Spinal Meningitis when he was a bit older and although he lived until he was nearly 50, he was never the same.  Odran, was plagued with heart troubles for many years and died shortly before Christmas in 1989.  I was very fortunate to have met both of them and to have spent a few days in London with my uncle Hugh and his lovely wife Frances.  They treated me to a hotel-stay and a night at the theatre to see Jeremy Brett and Edward Hardwicke in their roles as Holmes and Watson. I remember Frances made a Victoria Sponge cake just for me!

I recall very well that my father used to fill large cardboard cartons with clothes he didn’t need – suits, shirts, trousers, sweaters (jumpers) and even shoes and coats.  He would tape them up, label them and send them overseas to Portsmouth to Patrick where he was living with their mother, Mary Ann Davison and later with his dear sister, Betty (the next oldest to the two boys).  My father often sent money to them as well.  He made a very good living as a Chartered Accountant, especially in the eyes of those in the “old country”, but he never forgot his family back home.

My father only saw his brothers once, after coming to Canada. He deeply loved them both, but he always had a special place in his heart for Pat.

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