As I look back on my life

As I Look Back On My Life ©

By Michael Casey

Sounds like a piece by an old man ready for the Undertaker, though I am getting old now, though I still maintain I’m 20 in my head, even if these past 3 years my body has aged considerably, first with the arthritis and then with the  unplanned quadruple heart bypass, recovery seems to take forever. Anyway I thought I’d try and write a piece while I’m waiting for the computer tidy up to finish. I suppose Mark Twain thought the same thing though I don’t have his white suit, as portrayed in all the films on tv. And news of my death has been greatly exaggerated, though some nights the pain is so bad…

So as I look back what’s been the more memorable bits? Well my girls did say the other day I should write a memoire, my reply was that my book  300 and Not OUT had the funniest bits in, lots about them and our Shanghai mum. I choose not to write sad stuff, because I’ve seen too many sad things, hence my determination to stay a fool, well until Rupert Murdoch gives me a tape recorder and a few million quid, not that money is any use, I need a full body transplant, maybe like on Westworld, I saw the original film 30 or 40 years ago.

If I could live 30 more years that would be nice, but I’ve been honest with my girls. If I can stay relatively fit, and scream in pain in the night, long enough to see them both graduate they should be content with that, I’m not going to lie and say dad will live forever. The theory being they enjoy me while I’m here, and no it’s not emotional blackmail, though like all parents I’ll use all the tools in the toolbox.

So what’s been memorable, buying this house this home, after our dog peed on the for sale sign and I only then noticed it was for sale. That was memorable, well spotted dog, literally.  Having a breakfast club once I got the house, friends from working staggering here after the night shift and I made them a fry up, before sending them home to their own homes  to sleep the night shift off.

Watching Dawn every morning from our perch on Smallbrook Queensway, no we were not voyeurs, if you work the night shift it’s a privilege to see the day break each morning, that’s how I spent my 20s, watching Nature’s greatest girl rising each morning. I also was the company’s token Catholic or Christian if you want to be ecumenical, I used to use by lunch break to dash to Sunday Mass.

Going to the pub was my friends and the entire company’s religion, though I will say some of them were more Christian than your regular Christians, perfect company on any desert island. A huge thankyou to Barry and Steve and Dave and not forgetting Miss Dangly, it was a mad mad existence and I am so happy I had such a life for 21 years there at Stats. 

My 3 years at CPNEC was so special too, Roger and Jim were so kind to me as was Phil and all the girls in housekeeping. This is beginning to sound like  an Oscars speech, so maybe I should add right now thanks to my mum who said I was as good as anybody when I was 5.  And to dad who said do what you like but do your best.

All sorts of memories can fill the page, and fill a Life too, so as I head towards the final chapter, should I sing My Way now, should I stay in the past? No I still want to write 29 books and this will be part of book 11,that was the way my big daughter showed her love, by telling me to write 29 books, there were 29 dresses in the film after all, so if I keep on writing I keep on living, then she doesn’t lose me.