"Are you like me? Do you ever go away for a long weekend or holiday, only to find upon arrival at your destination that you forgot something important you meant to pack?
I recall an old cricketer called Albert whom I worked alongside in the mill before I became a Probation Officer at the age of 29 years. Albert was, if anything, the most cynical person I ever knew. He had a streak of sarcasm run through his veins as though it was his life blood. Albert had been married 43 years and although he had passed the retirement age of 65 years, for some strange reason he had been allowed to continue in his employment until he was 67 years old. Whatever Albert had ever possessed, he believed himself to be a bundle of Yorkshire spun wisdom, which he felt was his final duty and delight of old age to impart to us young ones whenever he had the opportunity to tell us.
I recall him once telling me, 'Bill, never worry about being thought after when you're dead and gone. The world will soon forget you lad, as they eat their sandwiches at work a week later and talk about the latest piece of gossip.The best you can hope for is that your siblings remember that they once had a brother called Bill!'
I once mentioned to Albert after having spent a week's holiday in Morcambe that I'd arrived only to discover that I'd forgotten to pack my swimming trunks.
'Forgetting is for old age, Billy boy' he replied. 'Take my advice. 'There are three things any married man should never forget if he wants to stay happily married. Never get up without kissing the wife good morning, never let her think you've won an argument, and never consider leaving her behind when you go off on holiday; 'just in case' you should happen to need her!"
Though long dead now, I have never forgotten Albert's advice and have heeded it on a number of occasions, especially where women are concerned, particularly whenever I've wanted to avoid getting 'bawled out.'" William Forde: March 14th, 2017.