That missed opportunity

[East Gun Copse]

When reading the recent issue of 'The Old Blue' I was working through the obituaries (that gives my age away) when I was struck by one for Simon Cox. I remembered him but was totally unaware that he was an Old Blue. My late wife was was a practice manager at a surgery that was opposite the hospital where he was a consultant surgeon. He had an arrangement for her to do his secretarial work for his private work and he was a good friend to her. He fast tracked her in getting her a varicose vein operation when she needed it. He lived only a few miles away and I had met him on only a few occasions but had no idea of our common background. Though we overlapped by several years, he was at least two years behind me and as he was at the other end of the avenue he might as well have been on Mars in those days. It seems a pity in retrospect that we did not know of our link at the time as no doubt we could have shared our experiences and gravely shaken our heads at 'modern changes'

It makes one wonder how many people we do meet in our day to day life who are Old Blues without us being aware of it. Though the local Old Blue sections make it much more likely that we are aware of those in our area.

[sejintenej]

It seems a pity in retrospect that we did not know of our link at the time as no doubt we could have shared our experiences and gravely shaken our heads at 'modern changes'

It makes one wonder how many people we do meet in our day to day life who are Old Blues without us being aware of it.

An OB recognised my tie as I recognised his whilst we were on the platform waiting for a train to work. He was totally disinterested.

[englishangel]

Not an OB story but some years ago we went to Cheltenham Races and my husband spotted a man who he saw getting on the train every morning. They would nod to each other to acknowledge that they were both reading the Racing Post. Barry went up to introduce himself and it turned out that they also spoke to each other on the phone at least twice a week in their respective jobs, but had never met face-to-face.

[sejintenej]

Not an OB story but some years ago we went to Cheltenham Races and my husband spotted a man who he saw getting on the train every morning. They would nod to each other to acknowledge that they were both reading the Racing Post. Barry went up to introduce himself and it turned out that they also spoke to each other on the phone at least twice a week in their respective jobs, but had never met face-to-face.

In the City one speaks to a huge number of people without ever meeting them. Surprisingly I only had one namesake who worked for Banque Worms (I kid you not!). We never spoke but there were times when I had to clarify to third parties that I didn't have Worms.

[englishangel]

Also turned out that he spoke regularly spoke on the phone to the father of our daughter's best friend not knowing the connection.

[jhopgood]

I am sure that I have mentioned this before but Ian Dougherty (Mid A) and I realised we were both OB´s whilst discussing school uniforms over lunch in the staff canteen in the bank in Madrid. We had been lunching together for about 6 months.

[Katharine]

An OB recognised my tie as I recognised his whilst we were on the platform waiting for a train to work. He was totally disinterested.

My father thought he recognised an OB tie, on a visitor, when he was administering communion. At the end of the service he was at the door of the church shaking hands so saw the man again - and was sure it was OB only to be told fairly huffily that it was something different and 'not that of a charity school'!

[anniexf]

My father thought he recognised an OB tie, on a visitor, when he was administering communion. At the end of the service he was at the door of the church shaking hands so saw the man again - and was sure it was OB only to be told fairly huffily that it was something different and 'not that of a charity school'!

How did he reconcile receiving Communion with such an unChristian attitude, I wonder? That's the sort of person, and mindset, I left the C of E to escape from.

[Katharine]

Annie, I don't think Father was very impressed, but knowing him, probably prayed for the stranger. My father could be a bit other worldly at times, definitely someone in the right job - a country parson!

[anniexf]

Annie, I don't think Father was very impressed, but knowing him, probably prayed for the stranger. My father could be a bit other worldly at times, definitely someone in the right job - a country parson!

Katharine, your Father sounds such a lovely man! What a pity he isn't typical, though - or at least not while I was an Anglican.

[sejintenej]

An OB recognised my tie as I recognised his whilst we were on the platform waiting for a train to work. He was totally disinterested.

My father thought he recognised an OB tie, on a visitor, when he was administering communion. At the end of the service he was at the door of the church shaking hands so saw the man again - and was sure it was OB only to be told fairly huffily that it was something different and 'not that of a charity school'!

When my mother died I was taken in by her boss. Dinner was formal and one day we sat down with apparently indentical ties. Mine was CH, his was the RNVR (Wavy Navy). The lines on the RNVR tie are slightly off straight.

[Angela Woodford]

The story I especially love was told by Katharine - the Old Girl who recognised the Old Girl interviewing her by the beauty of her buttonholes.

Sorry to repeat it, Katharine, but I think that's just so wonderful. Especially since you yourself were known as a superb creator of the Bound Buttonhole!

[michael scuffil]

Annie, I don't think Father was very impressed, but knowing him, probably prayed for the stranger. My father could be a bit other worldly at times, definitely someone in the right job - a country parson!

Katharine, your Father sounds such a lovely man! What a pity he isn't typical, though - or at least not while I was an Anglican.

I knew Katharine's father. He had a great deal of common sense. It used to be the case that parents' written permission was required for all sorts of things. The Rev. Mr Hills wrote a letter for Katharine's brother which said something like:

My son has permission to fly, swim, cycle or indulge in any other activity which requires my express permission.

[englishangel]

a bit like "don't do anything I wouldn't do" which gives MY offspring a lot of leeway.

Also "don't do anything I wouldn't like to read about in the tabloids" works quite well

[Katharine]

An OB recognised my tie as I recognised his whilst we were on the platform waiting for a train to work. He was totally disinterested.

My father thought he recognised an OB tie, on a visitor, when he was administering communion. At the end of the service he was at the door of the church shaking hands so saw the man again - and was sure it was OB only to be told fairly huffily that it was something different and 'not that of a charity school'!

When my mother died I was taken in by her boss. Dinner was formal and one day we sat down with apparently indentical ties. Mine was CH, his was the RNVR (Wavy Navy). The lines on the RNVR tie are slightly off straight.

David, I think that may have been the tie - I nearly wrote that he had said it was military - would RNVR count as military?

I knew Katharine's father. He had a great deal of common sense. It used to be the case that parents' written permission was required for all sorts of things. The Rev. Mr Hills wrote a letter for Katharine's brother which said something like:

My son has permission to fly, swim, cycle or indulge in any other activity which requires my express permission.

Thanks for that, Michael. Michael may have known my father, but he didn't know of my existence, until we 'met' on this forum!