It seems that everyone in the Uk and Ireland are mourning the broadcaster Terry Wogan today.
His breakfast shows of the 1970s always brought a smile to my face when I was getting ready for school and I was reminded just how funny he was , when on radio 2 today, Ken Bruce was reminded of Terry's witty banter by a memeber of the general public.
One morning Terry told his audience that Jimmy Young ( who was an aging broadcaster in the following show) had streaked his way through a local village flower show.
" Apparantly" Terry quipped " Jimmy had won the prize for best dried arrangement"
People of all ages loved Terry Wogan and today's outpouring of grief must be a great comfort to his family and friends, who have perhaps recieved the wonderful affamation that he was thought of so fondly by so many.
This reminded me of an incident years ago when, as a junior nurse, I helped lay out a patient who had suddenly died on his admission to hospital. The elderly man had one son down as next of kin, and the son and his sister , ( both well spoken, well dressed middle aged professional types) attended the department to see their father after being contacted by phone.
There was no tears and no upset from the couple when they arrived and it was my job to take them into see their father who had been placed neatly under clean sheets and blankets on a hospital bed. They followed my lead, hand in hand , and stood there quietly when I showed them into the cubical .
" Do you want to sit with him for a while?" I asked in my kindest voice and both shook their heads
" We just needed to come in" the man explained " we have not spoken to him for 20 years"
I nodded and said something along the lines that " It must be difficult for you both"
When anger flashed in the sister's eyes.
" He was a monster" she whispered " a real monster" and she retreated into the protection of her brother's arm . I noticed a look of contempt on his face as he gazed at the body of his dead father
Moments later they left with no other explaination.
There must be nothing worse than not to be mourned by Anyone or anything when you finally shuffle off this mortal coil
Well, I doubt the dead have any idea of who or who is not grieving them. But yes, it is sad to think that one has lived one's life in such a way that the closest relatives don't have the slightest bit of sadness that one has passed. It happens and it's sometimes extremely valid.
ReplyDeleteThe difference between my two examples seemed rather too stark me thinks
DeleteTerry Wogan's voice will live on in my head. When there is something I dont like or I am watching Eurovision. "Nil point", will be my inner monologue.
ReplyDeleteI'll mss those waspish but incredibly funny comments too....graham norton is good but slightly more sanitized
DeleteSounds as if you will miss Mr. Wogan. Sorry for your loss.
ReplyDeleteThere are some who will not have anyone to grieve for them, more's the pity.
I rather fancy that Terry will be mourned by millions, and certainly all of us Old Gals and geezers.
ReplyDeleteTogs!
DeleteThe news really hit me hard yesterday. He was like no other, in the nicest possible way - and the only one for whom I'd tune into his radio programme to listen to what he was saying rather than the records he was playing. Always lifted my spirits. Will miss him more than any other radio (and sometimes TV) personality than I can think of. Thank you ever so much, Terry.
ReplyDeleteOh, and btw, Sol (if you read this) Apologies for being so pedantic, especially on a subject like this and Eurovision, but for the record it's 'NUL points' (assuming you're thinking of the French). Sorry!
A role model , he indeed was
DeleteOmg i sound like yoda
What gave me the greatest comfort when my dad passed away was the amount of love that was expressed for him at his service...and the love was heartfelt...not just words. The chapel was packed....I truly didn't know my dad had touched so many lives. I try to live my life like he did.
ReplyDeleteIts a real comfort for those left behind..there is nothing worse than an empty church
DeleteMourned or otherwise - hopefully we won't know anything about it. Terry Wogan's Irish lilt could be heard through the wireless in my Mum's kitchen for many years.
ReplyDeleteIt was a real part of my childhood mornings
DeleteIt was such a shock to hear the news. He was the voice of Radio 2 for so much of my life :-(
ReplyDeleteWhat a year so far!
ReplyDeleteRickman, frank fnlay, wogan, too many
Delete"Best in Dried Arrangement" is hysterical.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry for you that you had to be a witness to such an ugly part of humanity. Sadly, monsters do exist.
Without going into any detail the situation you describe witnessing was exactly one that our family faced last year and totally justified.Just complete relief it was all over and that person could cause no more harm. Sad but it happens sometimes. arilx
ReplyDeleteArilx
So sad.........mind you dead monsters can no longer hurt people
DeleteStill waiting for my particular monster to kick the bucket. That will be a dancing day!
DeleteA chilling story John... but with regard to Terry Wogan he came across as such a natural, kind and witty man. So different from many other broadcasters and he did so much good too - raising millions for charity. RIP Terry.
ReplyDeleteHe was regarded fondly....thats all one can ask
DeleteMother Theresa put it in a nutshell when she said,'One of the greatest diseases is being Nobody to Anybody.' The only thing we can take with us out of this world is our character. Terry Wogan will be sorely missed.
ReplyDeleteA wonderful quote....ive never heard that before
DeleteIt reminds me of a story about a priest in our monastery who was giving a generic homily at a funeral for someone he did not know, filling in for the parish priest who was ill, and asking people to pray for the soul of the departed man. One of the sons stood in the front row and announced that there was no reason to pray for the man because he was burning in hell because of the way he had treated his wife and children.
ReplyDeleteWhere can you go from there?
Upwards?
DeleteTerry played such a part in all our lives, didn't he. If you needed cheering up, or a bit of a giggle at life's inanities, he was your man. He will be very much missed, not only by us oldies, but some of the younger generation too. Many was the time I sat in a traffic jam on the way to work, listening to him and laughing at his comments. I still laugh when I remember his raising of the Raleigh from Carshalton Duck ponds !
ReplyDeleteOmg yes
DeleteI'M sorry that I was not acquainted with Terry Wogan. Your comments about death caught my attention. So many pass without even a nod, let alone a tear. There are so many of us, now, human beings I mean. Thanks to our own self consumption and the constant bombardment of inhumanity by the media and our own prurient interest in it, we grow immune to the waste. It's similar to the unemployment problem. What a waste to let all that talent and ability sit idle when so many good causes scream for assistance. I lost my job after 28 years. It was sent to Hong Kong by an Indian working in the US on a visa. How's that for ironic? I already volunteer at our local veteran's hospital on Sundays, so I started to help during the week. I'm back to work now, but not for long. I plan to retire or get fired or quit soon, whichever comes first. Then, I will do more volunteering so that when I die, someone will notice the hole left behind and say "hey, whatever happened to old what's his name who used to do this?"
ReplyDeleteInteresting..i hope we are getting past the " old shall be invisible" thing.......
DeletePerhaps we are not
Sadly put
I think Terry was indeed a kind, gently (and funny man). So sad for his family. My sister-in-law died last week completely unexpectedly. I'm off to North Wales for the funeral on Thursday. When I was able to speak to my brother after the shock had died down a little he said how touched he had been by all the tributes people had been paying her. The British Legion will be sending representatives in view of her charity work for them. She was only 69 and waay too young to go, but her husband and sons tell me that they had no idea she was so well liked. Better to leave like that than like the man you wrote about I think. Anna
ReplyDeleteSorry anna...where are you going in north wales?
DeleteHi John, the funeral is in Conwy on Thursday. I was lucky to get a flight to Liverpool and then will catch the train to Conwy with my nephew. Gosh it has been years since I've been to Wales - I hate to think how many.
DeleteIt was so shocking to hear this news yesterday. Sir Terry was such a big part of many of our lives. He will be greatly missed. xx
ReplyDeleteI so agree with that last paragraph John. In your job you must have seen more of this sort of things than most.
ReplyDeleteWhat a dreadfully sad story. It is quite astonishing what harm people can do to those they are meant to love unconditionally.
ReplyDeleteTragic and disturbing, not to be mourned by anyone. But I'm glad you shared the story.
ReplyDeleteTerry used to accompany me on my hour's commute across the Mendips every weekday morning. I used to just love it when he got the giggles reading the Janet and John stories. Can't believe he's gone.
ReplyDeleteYou cant go wrong with janet and john
Deleteespecially when they're such delightful twins
DeleteA contrast indeed! Wonder what he did to deserve this?
ReplyDeleteA sad ending to life indeed.
ReplyDeleteVery sad, both for Terry and the siblings you write about :( My happy memory of Terry is listening to him while I ate my breakfast with my Dad before school. My Dad thought he was very funny, his reaction to him made me laugh all the more x
ReplyDeleteThat was his strength he appealed toball ages
ReplyDeleteYet another sad loss. They're coming thick and fast this year already.
ReplyDeleteLoved Terry's 'Janet & John' stories - always had me in fits of laughter.
Some brighten a room by entering, others by exiting.
ReplyDeleteI don't know who to feel worst for: the elderly man or his children.
ReplyDeleteWe reap what we sow.
ReplyDelete