I caught up with Chic Eleanor this morning for a 2 metre coffee
She apologised again for being in her scruffs
But swirled a beautiful silk scarf around her neck as she frothed up the hot milk
Darling John ! What is your news? She purred
I told her that I had just resigned from Samaritans
That is where we had met several years ago now
Eleanor understood immediately my reasons now for resigning.
She herself is a part time counsellor
I have no reserves left for Samaritans to utilise
I say that without drama but with a little regret
Working for the charity had provided me an outlet for a set of skills I was under utilising in life.
I was a husband, a hobby smallerholder, a very part time ITU nurse and needed the challenge working on the call lines can give.
And I was a Good Samaritan
If you can forgive the phrase....
But I recognise I have no reserves to give to the charity anymore.
My priority is my work
And my major priority is myself
I suggested to Eleanor that we meet with another couple of mutual Sam friends very soon. A socially distant picnic of West Shore with wine and laughter and she twirled her imaginary pashmina in delight
Darling John, that would be absolute perfection!
She always has the ability to make the mundane sound delightfully grand