A Century, 1920-2020

Celebrating Lionel's 100th birthday I realise I have never known anyone reach this milestone. Or anyone who knows anyone who has. Epic. Lionel's party starts at 10am and he's in his breakfast seat at the dining table to receive people. The family gathers first. We put out food and hunt for photos. We can't locate any early ones, those we find date from after he met Tui. His life before that is something of a mystery, compounded by the fact he told us all he was born in Australia when actually he was born in Bredfield, Suffolk. After World War Two he was discharged from the Royal Navy and left England to travel. He did indeed spend time in Australia before he arrived in Invercargill in the 1950's. Sometime during the 60's he cut ties with his family in England. None of them know why and he's never said. Tui put me in touch with them when I was living in London in the 1990's and I spent weekends getting to know them. They are a close family and welcomed me with open arms. We discovered their parents were married 3 years after Lionel was born so it is reasonable to assume the man who brought Lionel up was not his biological father. 

So many mysteries but today it's straight forward. The community Lionel's been living in for the last 35 years turn up to wish him many happy returns. They come bearing plates, presents and good cheer. It's a happy occasion. Nick has organised a cake, iced with realistic looking sheep and three lawn bowlers. It's gorgeous. The day passes with relatives and friends from past and present coming and going. There are cups of tea, birthday cake and ham rolls. Lionel is alert and takes it all in his stride. His brain has slowed down a lot in the last two years and he generally finds conversation difficult to follow but today he loves being the centre of attention. I step outside to make a few calls about the build back in Christchurch.

There's a steady trickle of visitors till early evening. I duck out for a bike ride with Lynette. The air is cold and it resets my system. We sit around playing dominoes till a family argument ends the game then we revert to drinking. This is a big day after all. Lionel stays up, alert and enjoying the company till finally the volume of music he's got no grasp of, and wobbly grand kids dancing, becomes too much and he wobbles off to bed. We're revved up and take turns requesting tunes on the blue tooth speaker. Old hits, even from the younger generation. Everyone takes the floor. It's not till numbers dwindle, Kelsey is outside throwing up and Kahu is looking after her, that we pack it in. 100 years...it's worth celebrating.