Swan Lake, Nancy Boys and My Old Man. My dad (G.R.H.S.) was a cripple from thirty. He had muscular dystrophy in the legs which seeing as he loved playing football up until that time was pretty devastating for him Im sure. The thing is he never really showed his disability to me in a close way. Its not that me and him werent close but back in the day that was how it was. Mums whacked you for stuff you didnt really know why and dads went to work. And if you got a whack from your old man then you knew you had really done something wrong. Anyway. The result was that we used to talk mainly at the dinner table. About football, school and I would ask him questions and he would be pleased to short answer. But occasionally he would give me a lecture that has stuck with me all my life. Although I didnt know it at the time he talked a lot of sense. One thing that sticks in my mind was the classics and the arts. In a nutshell he said Boy. In your life always read everything, listen to everything and see everything that has been around for a long time. If it can stand the test of time then it must be good. Yeah right. Except ballet. For years I considered ballet to be a load of nancy boys prancing about lifting skinny tarts in the air and trying to get a quick feel up if they were that way inclined. My first wife loved the ballet but I would never go with her to watch it. Then one time I did. I was about thirty five. How right my father had been. The skill, athleticism and grace of Swan Lake was breath taking. Everything my old man couldnt do. Ive just watched it again on youtube. Outstanding. Im not one to offer much advice to anyone but I will offer the same advice that my old man gave me to my grand children when they are old enough (and indeed did give to my children). I expect Ill get the same looks as I gave him and they gave me but I hope one day, even later in life, that they will realise classic books, classical music, ballet and opera are called classics for a reason. Because many of them are good.
Posted on: Wed, 12 Mar 2014 05:53:50 +0000
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