When Your Big Sister Calls

The phone rang just when I didn't want the phone to ring.  Henry and I had  packed up the easy bits -- we were now surrounded by empty boxes and items that defied boxing up, and I was determined to resolve this within the hour.  "Hello, John speaking" I said, in a tone that declared  "Hello, John wishes he wasn't speaking, bit busy."   But it was long distance, from Canada, from a sister with a busy schedule of her own, who had carved out the time to call  with good wishes for her Little Brother's Big Trip.

Twenty minutes later, I put the phone down, richly rewarded.  On a sofa bed overlooking the sea, my big sister had taught me a lesson in what this trip is all about, before Henry and I had even arrived at Heathrow.  Abandoning a timetable.  Missing a deadline.  Building a relationship.  Bloody Big Sister, one step ahead again.

JY