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Ellie and Hub lived in Lagoa 10
years ago, while in their early 40's, they had a carpentry business near
Algoz.
You can reach Ellie at: Gantree1@aol.com |
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Meet Marilyn
It was a very warm Sunday evening and having had an early dinner at
Colombos I then went home to my apartment to freshen up, before
taking a stroll over to Hemingways bar to part-take in a night cap
or two!
This cosy little bar is now run by a delightful couple, Hazel and
Murray and more welcoming hosts it would be hard to find as each
visitor is greeted with warm words and after only a few visits I
began to feel very much part of its cheerful scene.
On this particular night I sat at the bar, Hazel having made me a
rather nice rose wine spritzer, and listened to the quiet buzz of
conversation around me. Before I knew it I was slowly drawn into the
topic of discussion, when suddenly a voice said "Hi Ellie !" and as
I turned I saw Susan, "We'll have to stop meeting like this" she
chuckled. Susan is a member of carvoeiro.com and we've known one
another for two years now. We sat and talked, mostly about our
families and plans for the future. But as the time drew near nine
o'clock Su had to go and meet her dinner date and the stool next to
me became vacant.
The warm balmy evening had me dreamily sipping my iced wine, my
thoughts miles away when, "Excuse me, but is this anybody's seat?"
The quiet but distinctive voice had me look up to see the
questioner. A small slim blonde lady stood by my side and gestured
at the empty stool. I said no, that's fine. She sat down and in two
minutes we were engaged in friendly chitchat. We introduced
ourselves and that is how Marilyn and I first met.As we sipped
our drinks, Marilyn with her favourite red wine and me with
spritzers the conversation really took off. I spoke of my trip out
to Algarve in pursuit of a good photo for my book cover and Marilyn
said "You've written a book. What about?"
When I told her, she nearly fell off her stool in surprise!
Astonished that I'd written about two and a half years of living in
Algarve. When she had been a constant visitor for at least twenty
one years! Admittedly, put like that it did seem almost pretentious
on my part. But we laughed over it and I said I was as surprised as
she!
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However, as the evening wore on I was in for a few surprises myself,
when this little lady talking quietly next to me, turned out to be a
journalist of long standing. Columnist Marilyn Cunningham, she had
worked many years in Fleet street for the Daily Express and Daily
Sketch and even now in 'retirement' years, she still works on as a
free-lance for 'Slimming Magazine'. I believe we talked on till
almost the early hours, my mind keen to learn of Marilyns long and
vastly interesting career. It must have been well after midnight and
more like 1am in the morning before I finally wended my way home to
bed.
We had exchanged phone numbers and two days later I received an
early evening call, it was Marilyn.
"Have you eaten?"
I said no.
"D'you fancy fish and chips"
I had been debating where and what to eat and here was my answer! We
arranged to meet outside Hemingways and then Marilyn would lead the
way.
Walking through the short alleyway we crossed over to the 'Fish and
Chix' shop next to Safari bar and soon Marilyn was introducing me to
owner Ann a smiling genial lady that showed us to a table by the
corner window. It was after 9pm and there were only a few customers
apart from we two. Ann took our order, plaice for me and cod for
Marilyn who also said "Just 8 chips Ann please". My reaction was "
No wonder you're so slim!"
The fish was very nice indeed, as good as any back home in England
and as we tucked into our meal and sipped wine we talked and I
learnt more of Marilyn's fascinating life.
Although now a widow Marilyn has been married 3 times and widowed
twice her third husband, some years her junior, having died a couple
of years ago from cancer. As Marilyn told me this I could see she
was still very much affected by his death as they had been so
wonderfully happy together. After a most enjoyable dinner we
wandered back for a drink or two at Hemingways and carried on with
our chat.
As you can imagine with all her years of experience in Fleet street
Marilyn has a million tales to tell a couple which she related to
me. We talked of the '60s, of the fashions, the music, films and
many other things. Laughed at the image of ourselves back then in
our mini skirts when swinging London was the place to be, Carnaby
street, Beatles music, The Stones. I got around to talking about my
favourite film stars, one of whom was Omar Sharif and particularly
of his part in Dr Zhivago !
'I've met him"
This time it was my turn to almost fall off my stool.
"You what?" I gasped
"I interviewed him for the paper" Marilyn smiled at me.
I muttered something like "You're not kidding me? You lucky devil!"
Then she told how Omar was charm itself and just as handsome in the
flesh as on the screen. Again I whispered dreamily "Oh, those eyes!"
She assured me the eyes were beautiful and being a daring young
journalist she said to him
"Would you mind if I described your eyes as being like 'Melted Mars
bars?!
Marilyn said he laughed at this saying he had never heard that
description before. Half an hour later we noticed there was some
tennis showing on the TV in the bar. Marilyn asked me if I enjoyed
watching Wimbledon? I said not as much as in the 80s as I preferred
the 'personalities' that were around then; people like Connors,
McKenroe, Borg, Nastase and others; that I found it slightly boring
these days.
"I interviewed Nastase"
The young Marilyn had been given this job for a feature and relished
in it as she loved watching the game. Now Nastase had a reputation
with the ladies and this Marilyn was to experience first hand. All
through the interview he flirted outrageously with her and after it
came to an end he brazenly asked for her telephone number. Being
overawed and flattered she gave it him. But sadly the call never
came. We laughed and joked that evening and as we each went our
separate ways I felt that I had been in the company of someone half
her age. Great fun!
It was Saturday morning, the week had flown by and I was due to
leave for UK that evening. Having lots of things left uneaten in my
fridge, I popped them all into a carrier bag and walked the few
hundred metres to Marilyn's apartment to see if she could make use
of them. It was my first visit and Marilyn gave me a little tour of
this smart but homely flat. I also saw photos of Marilyn's last
husband Denis. This made me a little sad as they looked such a happy
couple and not for the first time I wondered how life could be so
cruel. Marilyn along with her second husband had bought the place
over 21 years ago so to her it is indeed a second home. Once more we
sat and talked about our lives and families and passed a very
pleasant hour together.
"What time you leaving?"
I replied about 5 o'clock.
"Lets have lunch. My treat"
About 2pm we were sitting at a table in the nice restaurant on the
stairs at the side of the safari bar called 'A Fonte'. It was a
cheerful but relaxing ambience and as Marilyn tucked into steak, egg
and chips and red wine. I was enjoying my favourite sardinhas with
small new potatoes and salad; my thirst quenched by a small beer.
The conversation flowed and I was astonished at more tales of
Marilyns exciting career, learning that she was once a good friend
of Michael Cain the actor; this was in the time of his early and
very successful films such as 'Alfie' and 'Zulu'.
Something I haven't mentioned before and I often forgot it in this
lady's most enjoyable company is that she is disabled. A few years
ago, whilst nursing her husband and going through the most traumatic
time that terminal illness can bring, Marilyn was walking along the
in road of Carvoeiro when she experienced a sever bang to her left
eye. At that moment she thought someone had shot her in the eye with
an air gun, as that was how it felt. Her eye filled with blood and
she couldn't see. The next thing she knew she was being rushed to
hospital for emergency treatment. But it wasn't a pellet from an air
gun; the eye had haemorrhaged; there was nothing doctors could do,
she was permanently blinded. Last year brought more trauma as a
cataract developed in the right eye bringing more difficulty to a
woman who earns her living as a writer. But a couple of months ago
an operation brought light back into Marilyn's life once more when
the cataract was removed. That night, Marilyn said, she wanted to
tell the world, throw a party!
Hunger satisfied we made our way to Hemingways to take coffee and
for me to say goodbye to Hazel and Murray. Marilyn and I talked some
more and when it was time for me to leave I felt a great reluctance
to do so. But then I always feel that way on every visit to Algarve.
This time however I felt an extra sadness, for in one short week I
had made a friend who I felt immediate rapport with and that made it
a little harder.
Each visit is reunion with old friends and meeting brand new ones; I
love it and I hope it will always be so. I'm sure it will. For this
is Algarve!
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