That missed opportunity
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That missed opportunity
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.
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.
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Re: That missed opportunity
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.East Gun Copse wrote: 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.
- englishangel
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Re: That missed opportunity
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.
"If a man speaks, and there isn't a woman to hear him, is he still wrong?"
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Re: That missed opportunity
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 wrote: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.
- englishangel
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Re: That missed opportunity
Also turned out that he spoke regularly spoke on the phone to the father of our daughter's best friend not knowing the connection.
"If a man speaks, and there isn't a woman to hear him, is he still wrong?"
- jhopgood
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Re: That missed opportunity
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.
Barnes B 25 (59 - 66)
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Re: That missed opportunity
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'!sejintenej wrote: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.
Katharine Dobson (Hills) 6.14, 1959 - 1965
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Re: That missed opportunity
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 wrote: 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'!
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Re: That missed opportunity
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 Dobson (Hills) 6.14, 1959 - 1965
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Re: That missed opportunity
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.Katharine wrote: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!
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Re: That missed opportunity
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.Katharine wrote: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'!sejintenej wrote: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.
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Re: That missed opportunity
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!
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!
"Baldrick, you wouldn't recognise a cunning plan if it painted itself purple, and danced naked on top of a harpsichord singing "Cunning plans are here again.""
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Re: That missed opportunity
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:anniexf wrote: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.Katharine wrote: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!
My son has permission to fly, swim, cycle or indulge in any other activity which requires my express permission.
Th.B. 27 1955-63
- englishangel
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Re: That missed opportunity
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
Also "don't do anything I wouldn't like to read about in the tabloids" works quite well
"If a man speaks, and there isn't a woman to hear him, is he still wrong?"
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Re: That missed opportunity
David, I think that may have been the tie - I nearly wrote that he had said it was military - would RNVR count as military?sejintenej wrote: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.Katharine wrote: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'!sejintenej wrote: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.
Thanks for that, Michael. Michael may have known my father, but he didn't know of my existence, until we 'met' on this forum!michael scuffil wrote: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.
Katharine Dobson (Hills) 6.14, 1959 - 1965