CHILDHOOD CAPERS - CHAPTER FOUR: CHEEKY & JOEY...

Have you ever met someone you became friends

with, only to much later learn that, when younger, they
lived near to you or attended the same school in a previous
neighbourhood?  If you're anything like me (I'd imagine that
not many are), you can't help but wonder if your paths ever
crossed before without either of you knowing or remember-
ing it.  You know, standing in the same queue in a local
shop, or in the same bus shelter or whatever.

My father once had a pair of budgies, Cheeky and

Joey.  For some unstated reason, he eventually decided

to part with them, 'though I suspect it may've been because

he'd read an article saying that budgies carry diseases and so

decided it was better to be safe than sorry.  I remember as I

was leaving for primary school one day, my parents saying

to me:  "You'd better say goodbye to the budgies -

they won't be here when you get back."

I simply shrugged, but on reaching the back gate

I was overwhelmed by a sudden wave of sadness and

hurried back in to bid Cheeky and Joey au revoir.  Cut to

many, many years later, and me and my pal Moonmando

(whom you've seen comment on the blog) were in that former

neighbourhood and I pointed out my old house to him.  You

can imagine my astonishment when he informed me that

he and one of his brothers had once collected a pair

of budgies in a cage from that very house.

I didn't meet Moony 'til around 2nd or 3rd year

in secondary school, so to learn that he'd actually been

in my former house without me ever knowing was quite a

surprise.  What's more, his brother had been in my class at

primary school at some stage, 'though I never knew him then,

or even remembered him.  In fact, it wasn't until I was looking

at an old school photo (which you can see here) in adulthood

that I recognised his brother - as, by this time, I had known

them both for quite a number of years.  (Although learn-

ing that they'd both once been in my old house to

collect our budgies came later.)

What's more, the knowledge that I'd later been
in their house many times without ever knowing it was

the very domicile that Cheeky and Joey had 'retired' to, was

also a source of amazement to me.  There was a connection

there that none of us had even been aware of.  It goes without
saying that Moony isn't as impressed with this as I am (or at
all in fact), but to me, it's one of those 'Astounding
Tales' that makes life so interesting.

  So, anything like that ever happen to you?  Do tell!  

Posted in: Cartoons