Stan carries a picture of his wife in his wallet. He has always done so. For as long as he can remember. The picture was taken in 1944. Stan's wife is beautiful in the photo. The photo is protected in a clear plastic bag. Its the second one. The first was lost in Spain when Stan's wallet was stolen. They go abroad twice a year on holiday. They were evacuated from Croatia during the Bosnian crisis. Stan and his wife have been married for over 60 years. They met in the war at a RAF base in England. They are devoted to each other.
Stan and his wife have lived in the same house for over 40 years. It was new when they moved in. Until his wife's fall, they went out every day in the car: to Portobello or Arthurs Seat for a walk. They took tea in a flask. Stan's wife suffers from anxiety. This is caused, she thinks, by her experience of the war. Bombed night after night. After a while her mother didn't wait for the sound of the air raid sirens. She just took the children to the shelter in the evening. And there they slept. Terrified. Around 70 years later Stan's wife was nervous of her hospital appointment because of those air raids.
Stan's wife was the last patient on the ambulance list. The ambulance crew were in the house for quite some time. Stan's wife wasn't ready and she was nervous about travelling without Stan. So Stan came too. He was told he would have to find his own way back if the ambulance was full later. Stan's wife was wearing a nightie over her trousers, and a navy blue coat buttoned up tight. She had a soft neck brace and one arm in a sling. She was awfully pale. However, she survived her appointment and wasn't kept in. Come back in another three weeks they said.
I guess I wont see them again. 800 patients are collected each day in Edinburgh for their appointments. So the chances are slim. But I was very struck by Stan and his photo. Over 60 years. How beautiful is that?
Stan and his wife have lived in the same house for over 40 years. It was new when they moved in. Until his wife's fall, they went out every day in the car: to Portobello or Arthurs Seat for a walk. They took tea in a flask. Stan's wife suffers from anxiety. This is caused, she thinks, by her experience of the war. Bombed night after night. After a while her mother didn't wait for the sound of the air raid sirens. She just took the children to the shelter in the evening. And there they slept. Terrified. Around 70 years later Stan's wife was nervous of her hospital appointment because of those air raids.
Stan's wife was the last patient on the ambulance list. The ambulance crew were in the house for quite some time. Stan's wife wasn't ready and she was nervous about travelling without Stan. So Stan came too. He was told he would have to find his own way back if the ambulance was full later. Stan's wife was wearing a nightie over her trousers, and a navy blue coat buttoned up tight. She had a soft neck brace and one arm in a sling. She was awfully pale. However, she survived her appointment and wasn't kept in. Come back in another three weeks they said.
I guess I wont see them again. 800 patients are collected each day in Edinburgh for their appointments. So the chances are slim. But I was very struck by Stan and his photo. Over 60 years. How beautiful is that?
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