THERE for EACH OTHER

The theme song to the Australian TV show Neighbours has pertinent lyrics to this blog story. In part the lyrics say, ‘Should be there for one another, that’s when neighbours become good friends’. 

My younger brother Mike and his wife Sheryl were neighbours and good friends with Pete. He had been a kiwi dentist in London for over 40 years and retired next door to them. A great sense of humour was an important part of their relationship. 

The New Zealand flag referendums in 2015/2016 were held to determine our nation’s flag. Voters were able to choose their favourite design. Pete was a staunch believer in retaining the existing flag and keeping the Union Jack in the corner. Mike and Sheryl loved to tease Pete about his flag views, so in a light hearted, funny way, they hatched and executed a cunning plan… Mike purchased an alternative silver fern flag and attached it to a drone. As it zipped past Pete, who was sitting at his outdoor table, he yelled to his son, “Get the gun! Put some holes in it!” 

Pete welcomed Mike and Sheryl’s sons, Dylan and Jake into his home. They were never excluded. More time was spent with him as he progressively aged and as he aged, he lost the ability to get around his garden, so a golf cart was lent to him. He then lost the ability to walk and became bed ridden. They purchased a TV for him so he could look at photos that Mike took of his garden, and so he could watch movies too. Mike would join Pete every afternoon but Pete would often fall asleep and miss the beginning and the end of his favourite movie The Dam Busters (1955). In this movie the film depicts Operation Chastise when 19 RAF 617 squadron Lancaster bombers attacked 3 German dams with bouncing bombs. Sometimes Pete would wake up and exclaim, “Only 11 came back!” Talk about a spoiler alert. 

Mike and Sheryl knew Pete for 21 years. Pete lived on his own and he remained on his own, but he was never alone and was deeply loved.