Climbing up the stairs of the dusty antique centre a face caught my eye it was a photo of a soldier hung on the wall, i passed by dismissing it from my mind.
After pottering around upstairs for a while looking at antique tiles and choosing one to buy i headed back down with my purchase reaching the bottom of the stairs i turned around to meet the lovely smile of this boy i climed back up the few steps and scrutinized him, i usually find these sad photos depressing but i found i couldnt help smiling back...I noticed the price tag £9.50 Leaving the shop with my tile i looked back again...
That night i couldnt sleep why hadnt i bought it ???........ Because how could i that lovely young face so familiar so full of promise and eagerness ... did he live did he survive the war? .. The words of a song came to mind "a whole generation that was butchered and damned".. "enclosed in forever behind a glass frame" just two lines but so sad.......Had this photo been the only reminder of a son lost at war or had he arrived home safely back to his family..
Needless to say i went back for it and he now hangs on my kitchen wall making me smile with his lovely face, i like to think he came home and married his sweetheart and had a family .....
Strangest of all ! though not so strange, as it may explain my attraction, but theres more than a passing resemblance to jake my boy.....
Bodran, it's a delight to see you writing twice in a week!
ReplyDeleteI can see how that photo first caught your eye and then tugged a bit at your heart. Well done on bringing that young man back home with you.
xo
I love those old hand-coloured photos and understand how you couldn't pass it up. I guess it's another one of those strange interests that connects so many of us. I have a matching set - probably from the 1870's - a very starchy lady and whiskered man. There was not way I could leave them - obviously longing for family - in the antiques store.
ReplyDeleteI hope he came home too.
ReplyDeleteFor our exhibition last year we had a section on The Fallen and putting it together nearly broke my heart. They were all such youngsters.
Lovely piece Bodran. Love the colours on the picture too. He is cheery so I can quite understand why you have taken him home.
ReplyDeleteCKx
How lovely that you went back for him. Makes you wonder about the resemblance! I too hope he lived to a ripe old age.
ReplyDeleteI hope you bought him locally and didn't have to trawl to Leominster!!!! When J collects medals he always researches the soldier's life - such poignant tales for many. Hope to see you soon.xx
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