Who is the Thelma to your Louise? Who is your partner in crime? Did you reacquaint yourself with an old friend? Did you make a new friend? Or, perhaps, you are a lone ranger?
Anybody who knows me at all, could take a guess about this and if they guessed my mum, they’d be right. This year especially. This year, Ma has financially supported me and had absolute faith in my ability to get a job. She’s my partner in crime for ‘jolly japes’, I had the best holiday in September mostly because I went with her and she gets the need to wonder around ruins, she is also the only person who would understand my comment about the teeny tiny monks of Holy Island (there were these tiny ruined stairs and really the monks had to have been migets!!). She’s the first person I think of in good and bad news. The person who calms me down, boosts me up, she’s also my inspiration, generally if I’m not sure I can do something, I call Ma and she tells me not to be silly, of course I can do it, I just have to knuckle down and get on with it and I do and it works out fine. I have (in a moment of madness!) agreed to sort out food for the Resource weekend that Jonny is running, because of work this means I have to do the shopping and cooking for 2 meals catering for 20 people on Friday night. Ma, who isn’t really a cook, didn’t blink and is coming over to help me. She’s ace.
Even though Ma is Thelma to my Louise, she’s not the only person I turn to when I need help. Tonight, I got stranded in Ham, with no bus pass and no bank card. I called Tina and Charles and Charles came and picked me up. This year, when things have been rubbish, I’ve called on them and they’ve taken me for walks, fed me and set me to work. All things I needed. Their love and generousity is immense, especially as they’ve had a lot to cope with at the moment, Tina has cancer and is currently in the throes of chemo, but is and I quote, “perfectly fine, no need for fuss”. I’m lucky to have them.
I also got to make a new friend this year and my months of unemployment would have sucked without her. Step forward Max. We’ve had coffee, eaten cake, gone for walks, played with her baby and made Christmas presents together. As happy as I am to be working, I really miss Maxanne!!
Nic Dempsey 