Linda

I've met some really great people over here in England, but there's one lady who I've made a special bond with. Her name is Linda, and she's a 61-year-old, chain-smoking waitress/dishwasher with a heart of gold and a terrible chocolate addiction. I'm not quite sure why Linda and I became so close, I suppose we just clicked and she was so kind and welcoming towards me from the outset that I think I may have clung to her a bit! But now we call each other 'girlfriend' and go jiving together on Wednesday nights and she comes up to my room to vent to me about various things when I've got the night off, so it's a full-blown friendship, and I'm so grateful. 

I will try and describe Linda. She's a tiny wee woman, about 5'3 or maybe even less, with shoulder length dyed-red hair and zero derriere. Not even kidding, it's pancake flat. What she doesn't have in the rear department she makes up for in the chest region though! She's got skinny wee legs and a deep, raspy smokers' voice. When she works in the kitchen she wears leggings and usually a polka-dot top, and when she's doing front of house she wears a nice black dress and tights. She usually gets a ride in to work with Ron, who works on the bar, and sometimes even comes in when she's not working, just to hang out and have a drink. When I finish my shift on Sunday I usually sit down in the bar and chill out with Linda for a while, sometimes we do a crossword together. And sometimes I'll just sit in the bar and chat with her after I finish my shift on a week night, if she's also been working. 

Linda is even more addicted to chocolate than I am. She and Ron used to work at a gas station and she said they'd both have two double mars bars every day. Now whenever she comes in to work she has at least two chocolate bars in her bag that she gets through and often will bring in a box of malteasers or quality street chocolates that she puts behind the bar for all the staff to share. It's so funny.

Linda is married to a man named Pete, who is a nice chap. He's a bit quiet, but I suppose that probably works quite well because she's not quiet at all. Pete is her second husband. She has three sons, one of whom lives in Oxford, the other two live with her. And she has a daughter as well. And a few grandkids. She has a terrible diet consisting of tea, white bread sandwiches, biscuits, cake, potatoes, chocolate and cigarettes. I've asked her whether she eats any fruit or vegetables and she says she'll eat potatoes and the occasional banana. What about salads, green vegetables and fruit? Nope, she just screws up her nose. 

From our various conversations I've found out that Linda has had a very tough life. She has spent time in prison (I didn't think it appropriate to ask what for) and her oldest son has been in and out of prison for the majority of his life, which has taken a toll on the rest of the family. He's constantly asking her for money and when he seems to be doing well he falls back off track and ends up in prison again. Linda says she's had to distance herself from him a bit, because it's too painful. In addition to this, Linda's first husband beat her. She was in a violent relationship with him for years and tried to leave him a few times, but he managed to hunt her down. He is now dead.

I admire how strong Linda is, and how happy and bright of a person she is, considering all she's been through and had to deal with. She has such an infectious personality, which I love about her. She's the kind of lady you can't help but love. She's blunt and hilarioius. Loud and sometimes obnoxious. But she's so caring. She's made me feel so welcome and gone out of her way to include me in outings with her family, invited me over for dinner, taken me to jive class, given me boy advice and cared for me when I've been under the weather. She is simply a fantastic human.

The lovely Linda in the middle - the grouse girls went out for her birthday last week.

Linda and me taking a break from jiving. Not a great photo of either of us! 

xx