My Grandma Margaret is not very well. She’s been stuck in a
hospital bed for weeks and I visited her over Christmas. She’s in a private
room with a small window which looks out onto a brick wall. Not the nicest
place to spend the festive season.
We chatted about Grandma’s recovery, what I’d been up to
down in London and what my sister’s kids got for Christmas. In particular the
drum kit that Santa so kindly delivered to my nephew Joshua, to the delight of
the neighbours. Grandma appreciated the company, and we talked for a while but sometimes
you just run out of stories to tell and things to talk about. So I chirped up:
“David’s finally thrown Kylie out.”
Grandma already knew. Perched high on a wall in the corner
of my Grandma’s hospital room is a small TV and her only real window to the
outside world. That window is firmly fixed on Weatherfield. Coronation Street
has been a firm fixture in so many people’s living rooms for generations. A
constant look at other people’s imaginary lives which provides a talking point,
an escape from real life for half an hour – or an hour sometimes if we’re
lucky. My first memory of Coronation Street must have been in the late 1980’s
when I was a toddler. My Aunty Jean would always announce “Mother, the Street’s
on!” and her tiny, white haired old mum would shuffle in and take her seat. Since
then, for some reason, Coronation Street has been a constant in my life. It
seemed like EVERYBODY watched it.
Grandma has also been a constant in our lives. My sister and
I used to get so excited on a Wednesday afternoon as school finished, as it was
the day we went to Grandma and Grandad’s for tea. I remember watching Blue
Peter, Newsround and, of course, Corrie. I’m, ahem, 30 years old now, and me
and my Grandma still have this shared interest. And my safety net for when I
run out of things to talk about.
Oh, and look what I discovered right outside the door of her
hospital room…
Perfect.
@steviedawson
All original work on the Coronation Street Blog is covered by a Creative Commons License
A big hug to your Grandma Margaret. That's what it's all about really.
ReplyDeleteLovely time out shared through generations.
Stevie, I hope you've made sure there are beautiful, colourful flowers to look at in front of that brick window.
Is that your Grandma Margaret in the picture on the left with the red hat?
ReplyDeleteThat's the Corrie character Maude Grimes.
DeleteLots of flowers Blythe...and lots more to come :)
ReplyDeleteOh Grandma Margaret, you have the best Christmas present...your Grandson Stevie! Lovely article ...thank- you. Best wishes for feeling better soon.
ReplyDeletePrayers and good wishes going out to your Grandmother!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely post, Stevie. Big hug to your Grandma and hope she's better soon.
ReplyDeleteWonderful!!!
ReplyDeleteI totally agree.....Corrie has been a constant in my life since the late 80's.... Lots of good wishes for your Grandma....hope she is better soon.....
ReplyDeleteCorrie has been a constant in my life too. Even when i moved from UK to Australia. My Mum and I continue to watch it and talk about it. We used to be so far behind and I'd keep her up to date with all the gossip from the internet. Now we are only a week behind
ReplyDelete