Haze's strangers: No.48: Jack aka Grandad aka Bill
We met Jack soon after we arrived at the B&B in Ventnor. Or I should say that Ray met him first and introduced him to me as Grandad. Jack is the father of Bob who, together with his wife Esme, runs St Augustine Villa. Jack's grandson had fetched him, as customary, from his thatched cottage further along the seafront to Sunday lunch with the family.
Jack was a civil engineer and originally came to Ventnor to design a nuclear bunker to house a radar station for the Air Ministry. He met his wife-to-be, Stella, who ran the guest house where he lodged. After a career which took him all over the world, Jack and Stella returned to Ventnor on retirement.
He told me about the dogs he had, about his late wife Stella's work with the WRVS, and the poetry he liked to write when he was retired. He showed me a little self-published book called Winter Verses and the tender humour in this one about Stella's work as a potter and his efforts to help her rather touched me:
FRUSTRATION
"I want to be immortal
I want to fly a kite
I want to live forever
upon the Isle of Wight.
I tried to write a novel
about my early life,
but no-one ever read it
except my loving wife.
I tried to paint a picture
and bought a set of oils,
but all my men were wooden
and all my women foils.
My wife is a fine potter
who shows them far and wide.
It seemed to be so easy
I thought it time I tried.
I toiled for hours to shape the clay
upon the spinning wheel.
It slumped and slurped and flopped about
- I hadn't got the feel.
So now I've turned to verses
- I think you'll find them silly.
But what do you expect to get
from someone who's called Willy?"
Like Jack (or Bill) I once tried my hand at pottery but a lump of clay I started with still looked like a lump of clay when I had finished with it.
Jack was so happy and enthusiastic to have his photo taken and to talk with me that it was a great pleasure for me too.
This is a wonderful photo & story Hazel, so very personal especially as you included his poem...big fave! He looks quite excited to have his photo taken!
Bill, it seems has found his muse in his poetry! That's brilliant! I'm faving this to save it to read again sometime; I love it! So glad you had such a charming time!
Oh, this is delightful. Such a human portrait, complete with verse. :) It brings a tear to my eye... seriously. I just LOVED his poem. Please tell him that, if you have a chance. I hope he gets to live forever, upon the Isle of Wight.
