Perfectly Ordinary People(108)

What I’m trying to say is that there were all these invisible forces simultaneously pushing him away from us, and others pulling him into a new, different orbit out in Walthamstow. And though it’s sad, we just let it happen. Because it indisputably suited us all.

You sound like you maybe feel a bit guilty about that.

Yes, I suppose . . . Actually, no, I don’t. Oh golly, I don’t know! In a way, I do, because it’s sad how little we saw of him, especially once we moved to Brighton. I saw him from time to time for lunch when I was up in London, but I’m not sure Ethel ever saw Guillaume after that. But in a way, our own lives had been on hold for so long . . . we’d been so constrained by the war, and then by society and all the stupid rules and laws about what we were and weren’t allowed to do – who we were and weren’t allowed to love . . . Plus, in the midst of that, we’d made incredible sacrifices to provide Guillaume with something that at least looked like a traditional family. So I felt, also – I think we all did – that it was our turn by then, do you understand? Guillaume was sailing off towards his own destination, his own adventures . . . And we felt, quite rightly, I think, that we’d given everything to allow him to do that, to let him live whatever life he wanted; to live full stop, in fact. So we sort of watched him sail off, and then turned our attention to home, to ourselves, to our partners, and to the lives we wanted to live. I think we all breathed a huge sigh of relief in a way.

What year did you move here to Brighton?

In 1971, dear, to this very house! It cost us just over ￡5000, and we haven’t moved since. We love it here.

I can understand that. It’s gorgeous, especially with that little garden out front.

That’s Ethel’s passion – the gardening. Can’t stand it myself. I got my fill of gardening during the war.

Did you come here because of the gay culture?

Yes, I suppose you could say that, though it wasn’t gay per se when we moved here. But Brighton always had a very liberal vibe about it, and that certainly drew us – the idea of being able to be more open about our relationship and everything. But it was Ethel, really, who wanted to move. She got laid off from her job and she wanted a change. We both wanted to get out of London. We both love the sea . . . She had a dream of opening a café . . . so here we are.

Of course. It was your waitress who put us in touch.

That’s right. We’re semi-retired now so we have some lovely youngsters running the place.

That’s not where Ethel is now, then?

Now? <Laughs> No, she’s in Mont-de-Marsan, visiting her mother.

She stayed there, then, after the war?

Yes, she never got over losing her husband and the rest of her family. It made her go a bit mad, which is understandable. Plus, she’s eighty-seven now, and in a nursing home, so Ethel has to go down quite often. I’ll be joining her out there next week.

And Christophe? I don’t suppose he stayed with Igor, did he?

Yes, he did. They split up in . . . oh, I don’t know . . . the mid-seventies, I think it was, but then they got back together, and they’ve been together ever since. They live on the coast near Arcachon.

They moved back to France?

Yes. Well, Christophe did. Igor was born in Hungary, so it wasn’t moving back for him. But yes, they retired to a village near Arcachon, on the edge of a big nature reserve. It’s gorgeous. They have cats, lots of cats. Igor wanted dogs, but I think Christophe still has a problem with dogs.

A problem?

Yes, because of what happened to Johann.

Oh, of course.

But they treat their cats like children. They spoil them rotten. I think they have three or four now.

Arcachon is quite near Mont-de-Marsan, isn’t it?

Very good. Your geography is better than your history. It’s about an hour and a half away, but it’s the same corner of France.

I think my grasp of history is pretty good now, thanks to you. Well, about the Second World War in Alsace it is, at any rate. But I’m so glad they’re still together. Gosh, I feel a bit tearful about it! That’s lovely. Did you all keep in touch?

Of course we did! After everything we’ve been through, how could it be any other way? I’m flying down to Bordeaux on Monday to join Ethel and then we’re going to rent a car and drive over to stay with them.

With Christophe and Igor? Oh, that’s wonderful. That’s such a great way to end my piece.

Are we at the end then?

I’m not sure. I just assumed . . .

I suppose we are, in a way. That went quite fast, then, didn’t it?

Perhaps you could just . . . Maybe you could get me up to speed on Guillaume? Tell me what he’s been up to?

Of course. Well, Guillaume and Pat are still together. They’re very happy, I think. She’s a bit obsessed with her family, but I think he likes that. They have two children, Ruth and Jake. Though they’re not children now, of course. Ruth must be twenty-two or so and Jake’s a bit older.

Jake, that’s Jacob, right? So aren’t those both Jewish names?

Yes, I think they might be. Which is funny, really, if you think about it.

That’s not because you told Guillaume about his origins, then?

No. No, we still haven’t told anyone anything.

OK. Look, I know we’ve kind of covered this, but perhaps you could just explain to me one more time why? Because times have changed so much. Attitudes, I mean, have changed.