The Armistice Day service

at the residence was attended by about half of those living there. I tried to get over in time to offer some support.

I arrived feeling hot and bothered and annoyed with the person who had called me just as I was about to leave. I had said, "I'm sorry I can't talk now, can I call you back" only to be told, "Cat, this won't take a moment..." It was a moment I really did not have. 

But, I arrived in time to hear the Senior Cat reading, "In Flanders fields the poppies grow...." The familiar words caused his voice to break at one point.  He is not a returned serviceman. He volunteered for the navy, as have so many members of our clan before him. He was turned down on medical grounds. Nevertheless he has always wanted to acknowledge the day, and especially those members of the clan who did serve. 

He also likes to acknowledge my godfather, who did serve in the navy. L.... is still with us although getting increasingly frail. It may be many years since the end of WWII but people like L.... still need support, more support than ever before. 

The residence has a returned serviceman living there. There was no external service for him to attend. He is still mentally alert and the Activities Officer was determined to make sure he was also involved. With extreme difficulty he managed to stand and recite "the Ode".  There was one of those moments when the world seems to stand to attention. 

Our national anthem is a disaster. It sounds like a dirge at the best of times. It is worse still at such occasions. Nobody in the room knew the words. All the residents grew up with "God Save the Queen" but the staff are young enough that they should know it. People my age come between the two. There were some ragged attempts to sing that before the little service was brought to a close and the residents were left to watch the televised service.

And it was that which caused something unexpected to happen. There is a resident there who does not respond to anything, or seems not to respond to anything. Then a piper began to play "Highland Cathedral". He sat up straight and he saluted. I could see the staff staring in disbelief. What was going on in his mind?  

The piping stopped. He looked a little bewildered so I said quietly, "Tell him "at ease" perhaps?" The Activities Officer did. He put his arm down. She smiled at him and, after a moment, he smiled back.  

The Senior Cat and I went back to his room to look at the book I had brought over for him. We chatted for a bit and I left. As I left I saw the man who had saluted. I saluted him in return.