Recently Bert has taken to bringing Pearlie with him when he goes out on deliveries. She enjoys getting a run out and seeing a bit of the countryside. She always brings a book with her to to occupy herself when Bert is unloading, chasing cheques and having long gossipy conversations about matters horticultural. On the way back she always has an ice cream.
When I got back this evening I asked him,
What were you at today?
Did a delivery to Bushmills.
Did Pearlie go?
Aye.
Did she get her ice cream?
He laughed and said,
She did not.
Oh. Why was that?
Och I forgot about it until we were coming out of Ballymoney so I told her there was a shop in Rasharkin did good ice cream. Then when we got to Rasharkin I pulled up in front of the shop and she sees a tricolour flying outside it and says she wasn’t eating any ice cream out of that hole.
Was the flag attached to the shop?
No. I think it was flying from a telegraph pole but she held it was to do with the shop and was having none of it.
I suppose it must be odd for her seeing tricolours flying in places they never would have been 30 or more years ago.
Mind you she said she wouldn’t mind if they flew a Union Jack along side it.
Which is, I think, pretty broadminded for an 80-year-old DUP voter. More people like Pearlie and we’d have that Assembly up and running in no time.
