PART FIVE

The entrance to the park is up here on the right. Let’s turn in there and keep moving past the Park map on the left and towards the small red cart in the middle of the path. This memory is fading. You will have to try and focus on a different one..

As you walk through the park gates

You are 71. I’m holding your right hand and I am your granddaughter. I’m holding your hand and it’s cold and I’m squeezed against you for warmth. Lets walk past the small red cart over there and head into the park. This time of year when the heat of the summer has gone and you have to start getting your big coat out again. The colours of the leaves and the trees is blinding and golden. Everything is starting to close down for the cold months in one final blaze of glory. I remember mithering you for a bit of your sausage roll to feed the ducks, but you said no! Ducks don’t eat sausage rolls, you will make them ill. That was in the pond on the left. Gets all frozen over in the winter months. Keep walking forwards.

Up ahead there are some benches. Why don’t we sit on one of them for a minute. Look at the view all the way up to the cafe on the hill. The steps were so icy that day and you told me off for laughing at the people slipping and sliding. We always had a laugh though. You taught me to see the funny side of things. Not to get weighed down by all the seriousness in the world. And when ever I did get lost in it you would tell me a joke.. How did it go again..

Oh yes..

Knock Knock Who’s there Yodel A hee Yodel A hee, who? Why are you yodelling…

You loved that joke.

See over there to the right. The statue of Sir Francis Sharp Powell. The man sitting is all dark bronzed but his shoe is shiny and golden. Remember what you told me. You said I would have good luck if I rubbed the tip of the shoe with my hand. Something to do with the good fortunes of Sir Francis rubbing off on whoever touched it. Total superstition but you always did it.

Let’s go over there now. Move towards the statue.

Okay ready. We are standing facing the statue. Let’s see if any luck rubs off on us today. I’ll count down and then we can touch the shoe together.. Five, Four, Three, Two, One.

there is a moment of silence

We will just have to see if that works…

Let’s move on. Look to the right and head up the path towards the park gates.

I remember you used to sing to me a different song everytime we went for one of our walks. You knew the words to all the old songs. The war time songs. But one in particular sticks in my memory about leaning on a lamppost. I loved that one. We used to dance all the way out of the park.

MUSIC PLAYS - Leaning on a lamppost by George Formby

Keep walking towards the park entrance and through the gate. Dance if you want.