Which got me thinking - something I do quite a lot, believe it or not. When I was a first year pupil in Secondary school, in art class one day, we were given a small lump of clay and tasked with creating something. Lazy as always, I fashioned a tapering, eight-sided figure, which was covered (by teach) with a ruby glaze then fired in a kiln. It had two eyes like a Corgi or Dinky toy car's 'diamond' headlights, though I no longer recall whether they were added before or after firing. There was a two or three millimetre gap between where the glaze and the bottom of the figure ended, to prevent (so I was told) the glaze cracking when it was removed from the kiln-tray.
I didn't have the figure for long, perhaps two years at the most, but I never forgot it, assuming I'd be the only person who remembered it. Imagine my surprise then, when my late pal Joe (he was alive at the time, obviously) mentioned it to me over 40 years later, describing it with surprising accuracy. I didn't even recall ever showing it to him, but obviously I must have done at some point. This shared 'connection' to an item from my early teens reinforced my own memories and confirmed the figure's existence outside of my own experience. I'm not sure why it mattered to me, but it was good to know it had made an impression on someone other than myself.
Now that he's dead, I'm the only person who remembers the ruby-glazed diamond-eyed figure, the memory of its existence 'halved' in some way, as there's now only one person who recalls it, not two. It was a bit like having a 'back-up' in case I ever forgot. That make any sense to anyone? I likewise wonder if I'm the only person who recalls Moony's vanished comment? I'd say it's extremely likely - or is there someone out there who can prove me wrong? I hope so.
NEWSFLASH! Hooray, I found Moony's comment on a post entitled 'I'm Desperate To 'Strip' - Four Times Over...' Callooh Callay!
5 comments:
No comments yet, Gordie. Too boring a subject or has it just gone over your readers' heads?
Sadly, as a relatively new Crivvie, I don't recall any comments by Moonmando. I intend to read all your posts but I think I'm looking at retirement before that happens. What I can say from your post is that pottery was the only form of art I had any talent in. I found it quite easy including the potters wheel where other pupils struggled. On the other hand I couldn't draw a straight line to save my life. I remember one lesson we had to draw ourselves and at the end of the lesson I had a blank sheet of paper. The teacher ended up drawing me. Your figure sounds intriguing and a pity you don't have a photo of it. Glad you found the missing comment.
I'll maybe get around to doing a drawing of it someday, M, and colouring it in. It'll be as best as I can remember it, but the image is a little vague in my mind. I've replaced other things I had at the same time, so I suppose it sort of lives on via its association with them. If I recall correctly, it was around 2 inches tall.
I certainly remember Moonmando's comments, Kid, and I remember you published an entire post about him called Who Is Moonmando? You were fortunate to have a genuine lifelong friend like him. It's said we don't really die until all the people who knew us die which is true as even after death we live on in other peoples' memories until they too have died.
As I'm hoping to outlive everyone I know by a wide margin, CJ, there won't be anyone left to remember me when I croak. At one time all my friends were 'lifelong', but there's not many of them still alive now.
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