Is it only a week since the story of the Management Consultant, the Estate Agent, the Farmer and The Lady? I can't believe it! I went along then for the ride, so to speak, didn't take it too seriously, and even was a bit naughty, if you re-read the story......
It's strange how life can be like this....something you are not expecting, and something you are not taking seriously, suddenly comes along and hits you...standing outside that derelict barn last week.....as I looked round and said, 'Can I have my own horse?' I realised that a vision was bring born, a dream was becoming a reality.....and that something might be about to happen......
We went away and talked. We went away and thought. MC did his sums. We arranged to go back this Friday and take another look. MC came back from North Yorkshire on time! The Farmer was showing someone else round the barn when we arrived.....our barn....
Jack, the lvoely Estate Agent (he really is lvoely.....) walks us to the Farmer's house where the Wife makes us tea and we look at the plans. Farmer comes to join us and we talk..'Tell me,' he says, 'What exactly do you do again?' DC's stories of last week have scared F into thinking that large truck loads of sound and lighting equipment will be coming up and down the small lane by his house at all hours of the day and night. He is clearly anxious..I take control and tell him really, what the activity at the barn will be realistically....not a lot!!! A few people, a few meetings, with DC working away a lot anyway, and me mostly not working there at all as I have another job...this seemed to put his mind at rest.
As the meeting closed and Jack was anxious to go to take his girlfriend out in London (rats..)..the Farmer obviously wanted a private word with him...there was an awkward second or two, until I said, 'May David and I go up and have a look round the barn for a few moments, would you mind?' and the Farmer said, 'Yes, yes, of course', and everyone relaxed. We walked up knowing they were going to talk about the other person looking at the barn....
We stood in the middle and planned our offices and meeting and training rooms. We dreamed our dreams. The Farmer came and joined us, and I said, 'Are you interested in talking to us,' (getting straight to the point) and he said yes, apologised for the embarrassment that he was showing someone else round - and admitted that had nothing to do with Jack....
He asked me what my full time job was, and I told him I ran a charity. He again asked about DC being freelance for only three months, and why did we need offices? Again, I answered, and explained that we have been working together for 20 years. Yes, 20 years. It all began in 1983 when the Council of Churches asked me to produce and direct a musical for them, which was put on in 1985. D came to see that and auditioned for the next one, Peter, which was performed in the Albans Arena in 1987..after which we formed our ecumenical theatre company, Staccs, and began performing and running workshops in churches.....I only got that far into our story, DC and I smiling as we remembered it all again (I was 33 and he was just 25 when I cast him as a disciple..he has been following me ever since!!!!!!) and the effect on the Farmer was electric!
His eyes lit up as he told us what church he went to, an ancient village church. Oh, we took a musical there, years ago, the vicar was John..yes, yes, what a lvoley church: I remember the challenge of performing a musical complete with songs, dance and sketches in a tiny old church with immoveable pews and an ancient old Rood screen across the middle.....
Suddenly Farmer, MC and Lady are Howard, David and Sally, and in minutes, in the middle of a derelict barn, terms and rent are agreed, hands are shaken, and a meeting is arranged for next Friday with Jack, the surveyor and the builder.....
As I stood outside the barn in the sunshine, the two horses in the paddock came through the open gate and right up to me to be stroked and admired. 'Hello, lovlies,' I said, stroking their noses...
Who says God doesn't open doors??????
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
Just make sure that when God opens them you have faith to walk throught them ;)
...preferably dressed in jodpurs.
Sorry was I taking that bit about you getting a horse too literally?
Would it be wrong at this point to encoutrage that possibility, purely on the selfish grounds of foreseeing endless fabulous 'Sally blogs' as a result?
Or put more simply:
Sally + horse = Blog-anecdote Heaven
;-)
Don't you think that business partnership with DC + derelict barn + hunky builders + shopping for leather sofas, lovly office furniture, shiny coffee pots etc could go the same way???? The horses are a bonus (one is called Percy...) pics to follow.....
Post a Comment