As the name implies Steve definitely is a good chap. We met in the early nineties after I'd come home from Europe and started working with Network Marketing. Steve was in the same business and although at first we only ever saw each other through the business it soon became a social friendship. It was one Wednesday when I was waiting to get into the Winter Gardens, Cleethorpes (Yes, it was grab-a-granny night or poach-a-pensioner night at the Winter Gardens) and Steve saw me waiting in queue outside so to the annoyance of anyone behind me I cheerfully accepted his company and we had an excellent night (as far as I can remember.)
In the short seven years we've known each other, Steves found a wonderful lady to share his life with and escaped business failure (an inheritance from his ex-business partner) to become the head of a successful Telecommunications company, Telecom 2000 (formerly BTN).
Our great adventure was going to Spain for the day (which took three days to complete) early in '95. I'd seen an ad in one of the Sunday magazines for a cruise to Bilbao which only cost GBP39.00.
The trip in itself was great for what it was - a great excuse for getting tanked up with lager (which I think we did quite well) as really there wasn't so much to do on the boat apart from sit around chat and drink. We did get into the pictures a couple of times and saw Stargate and something else that was really dreadful.
On the first night I rescued a couple of young damsels from a drunken Norwegian and this was great as Sally and Sandra proved to be great company.
As mentioned before, Steve, after a long time of looking for the right person to fill the gaps in his heart has met Carole, who I can tell just by looking at Steve before and after, is just the person he was looking for. She now helps him run Telecom 2000 and is a great help and support for him. He's a lucky and happy man.
Here's
Steve and Carole at John and Dy Carrington's place in '97. On the right
are Carole and Steve, Behind the sofa are Colin Willden and Dy Carrington,
and next to Steve and Carole are Carl Bacon and his girlfriend.Maurice West
I first Met Maurice when I was
living in Binbrook with my ex-fiancee, Claire. As the small village in
the Lincolnshire Wolds was twelve miles from Grimsby I had two choices,
I could cycle or I could walk. Often I cycled but sometimes when I took
the bus (which runs twice a day) I'd meet this friendly gent - usually
on a Tuesday or a Friday, to do his shopping or have coffee in Binns with
his friends Jack and Betty.
Anyone who knows Maurice will know
his humour and his generosity (from which I've benefited many times while
in Korea.) When we have the good fortune to meet we talk on any subject
from languages to Germany (where Maurice worked as a young man) to Netsuke
(Japanese sword ornaments) to women. For our friendship age is not a factor.
(This kind of comment struck a note of discord with my students when I
was teaching High School in Korea.)
Maurice is a keen photographer and
passes on lots of helpful information and, to my constant surprise and
gratitude, photographic books and equipment.
Maurice and his wife Averil moved
to Binbrook about ten years ago from their native Norfolk. Although they're
not from Binbrook I think they've been welcomed into the local community
for their pleasantness and active approach to the community around them.
