2007/06/18

Perchance to Dream




“I once met Ivor Novello.”

“Really?”

“Oh! Yes, dear, before your time. Do you know about him?”

“Perhaps a little.”

“He was so handsome and debonair! I went to see him in Perchance to Dream in London in 1945. The war was behind us except for the rationing. It was lovely to see theatre again although some of his plays kept going right through the blitz.”

“You went with Tommy?”

“Who?”

“Tommy.”

“No, dear, I went alone. It was at the Hippodrome. Such a busy place and everyone so well dressed! And what a romantic story! He was a highwayman to start with . . . and the music! You know We’ll Gather Lilacs?”

“Hard to forget! You sang and played it constantly when I was little.”

“And the beautiful home. I always wanted a house that I could call ‘Huntersmoon’.”

“And you weren’t happy with the little stucco bungalow?”

“Oh! I never lived in one of those dear . . . But after the show, my friend, Irene, met me, she worked backstage you know, and arranged for me to meet Ivor in his dressing room. To this day I don’t remember what I said. But he told me that he was so glad that I had come to see him and wasn’t it lovely that the war was over and we could all be happy again. He was dressed in a green jacket . . . so smart!”

“I always found it funny that Tommy remembered that night even though he was so young.”

“Oh! Here comes the lady with my bedtime drink.”

“Yes. I’ll say ‘Goodnight’ now and tell Tommy you said, ‘Hello’.”

“Hi, Mary, here’s your nightcap.”

“Thank you, dear.”

“I see you had a visitor.”

“Yes. Nice young lady. Don’t know who she was but I hope she comes again.”
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5 comments:

Nants said...

Hiya!
Good stuff. Can't wait for the next postcard!
Have put your blog on a feed so that I will know of all new updates!
Thanks!
~N

Driftwood & Turtles said...

From which book?

Driftwood & Turtles said...

Oops! I knew I had read this before but hadn't remembered it was one of yours.

Lynne with an e said...

Lovely.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful!

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