Lydia

Yesterday evening I took a lift to work with some collegues. We arrived at the theatre earlier than usual, so I decided to sit outside for a little and watch the rain. Just as I settled on a bank, a very elegant elderly lady asked whether she could join me, and of course I said she could, presuming that she was waiting for the bus and did not want to get wet. As soon as she sat down, she started telling me how she had lost her favourite gold cigarette case earlier that day and that, even though she was a bit sad about it, she hoped that who ever found it, would appreciate it, and that there were more important things to life than cigarette cases, to which I heartily agreed. Then she looked me over closely and asked me whether I worked at the theatre, and I told her that I did. At that she grew quite wistful, telling me, that, as a young girl, she wanted to go to the theatre , but her father did not allow it. But, she said, she played her share of comedy in her time, just without payment. She said that I would understand, being an actress myself. So I had to tell her that I was actually a musician in the orchestra. She wanted to know what instrument I played, so I told her I was a violinist, and then her eyes really started to shine. It turned out that she lived in the same building as a collegue of mine, whose name she could not remember, but discribed the collegue and asked me to send her greetings from Lydia (the lady's name), which I promised to do. I kept my promise. Lydia then asked what was on our schedule and I told her. She told me that she loved operetta, so I informed her that we would be doing Gypsy Baron next season. And then a change came over Lydia. She asked me for my name, and then repeated it for a couple of times. After a short silence, she turned around suddenly, and said that she used to go to the theatre often, but since her husband did not really enjoy it, she stopped going. She missed it terribly, and said she would get a program and round up a few friends and start going again. I could see it in her eyes, that she was already planning her wardrobe :-) and then she said that, when she got home, her husband would ask her why she was so radiant, and she would tell him, that, besides the joy of seeing him again, she spent a wonderful time chatting with me, and that people like me made life a joy.... I had to leave then, to start work, and she actually seemed sad.

I don't know whether Lydia will actually go to the theatre from now on, but for a few minutes outside in the rain, she believed it wholeheartedly and that made her shine with joy. The dreams of her youth seemed to have come alive again....she was quite a different lady for a short while. I have never met a lady like Lydia...such style and elegance, and such a joy for the little things in life. It was quite an experience!