Photo sourced through http://nickreedent.com/photos/ |
My moment with Alice |
I saw her one night on the Russell Howard’s Good News show, and
immediately knew I had to meet her. I had no clue as to how to contact her, and
so I did what every good journalism student does: research. I must have spent
about a week Googling and Facebooking and Twittering until I finally got her phone
number from a previous interviewer. And when I called, I shivered. And when she
told me to ‘come tomorrow, two o’clock’ and put down the phone, I cried like a
little girl.
I went up to North London and had my
amateur interview with a professional pianist. She had just had her 107th
birthday, and her flat was filled with colourful flowers. She was warm, sharp,
human, but mostly – happy. I asked her about her life, and she asked me about
mine. I promised I would visit.
Alice and me in 2010 |
It has been nearly 3 years now, and I haven’t been back. I
know, it sounds all too much like Mitch Albom’s confession in Tuesdays with Morrie,
right before he realises his life isn’t really going the way he thought it was, and decides to spend less time working and more time with the people he
cares about. Well, that might be relevant, but allow me to make a conscious decision
to postpone dealing with this urgent matter for later.
I was recently emailed by a certain Dave N, notifying me of the upcoming
documentary The Lady in Number 6, which has
apparently qualified to receive a nomination for the Academy Awards. ‘As
part of our appreciation for Alice as a person and as a sense of inspiration,’
he wrote, ‘the producers have started the "Alice Challenge." The goal
is to give Alice 1,000,000 birthday wishes for her 110th birthday, and send an amazing message to a wonderful individual.”
I know I’m no saint, and re-posting about my experience
would probably not clear my conscience or make me feel like a better person.
But I at least owe this to you, whoever you may be, to share that bit of
exciting news, hoping to take on the Russell Howard role rather than Mitch Albom’s,
and inspire you to your own encounter with a piece of history, who, well, might
make you cry like a little girl too.
Photo sourced through http://nickreedent.com/photos/ |
Meh! I deleted my whole long comment! Just wanted to say: I love it! You are so lucky to have been part of her life even if it was only for some hours. Did you ever visited her again? Such beautiful soul, you did a very good job Iris, so proud of you :)
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