https://Voice.club – Jude sipped her freshly made coffee and looked at her husband over the edge of her glasses.
“I still can’t believe that it’s been fifty years. It doesn’t seem that long.”
Alan smiled and stroked Jude’s hand, now showing the telltale brown spots and inelastic skin of advancing years.
“We’ve been blessed with a wonderful marriage and a rich harvest. Our children and grandchildren all seem happy too; we couldn’t ask for more.”
The sound of the letterbox, followed by the thud of post hitting the floor, interrupted their mutual reverie.
“The postman, I’ll go,” said Jude, returning with a bundle of flyers advertising Domino pizzas and double glazing.
“Just the usual junk, but this one’s for you,” she said, passing Alan a white envelope bearing the inscription ‘The Times’ on the outside. Alan felt a frisson of excitement as he carefully opened it up and read the letter inside.
His face lit up.
“I’ve won a competition,” he said.
“What competition and, more importantly, what have we won?” she asked, her interest mounting.
“It was one run by the Times Wine Club in conjunction with the Times Crossword; I entered a few months ago. Anyway, we’ve won first prize, a mixed case of premier cru, and a week’s full board for two in Bordeaux with a thousand pounds spending money.” Jude looked astounded.
“Good heavens, how wonderful, we never win anything!” She wasn’t that keen on red wine, but she liked the idea of a holiday in France and could already smell the fresh croissants.
“What did you have to do?” she asked.
“I had to come up with a crossword clue for the word vintage.” Mine was ‘classic French wine with time to mature’.”
“I don’t get it,” said June. Cryptic crosswords had never been her thing.
“Classic means vintage. French for wine is vin, time is t, and to mature is to age. Put them together, you get Vin+T+AGE.”
“Well, that’s very clever,” said Jude, not really getting it, “but what a fabulous prize in our golden anniversary year, and what a good year it will be.”
Golden Harvest written and read by Julian Kern Jude sipped her freshly made coffee and looked at her husband over the edge of her glasses I still can’t believe that it’s 50 years it doesn’t seem that long Allan smiled and stroked Jude’s hand now showing the tell tail brown spots an inelastic skin of advancing years we’ve been blessed with a wonderful marriage and a Rich Harvest our children and grandchildren all seem happy too we couldn’t ask for more the sound of the letter box followed by the thud of post hitting the floor interrupted their Mutual revery the postman I’ll go said Jude returning with a bundle of Flyers advertising Domino pizzas and double glazing just the usual junk but this one’s for you she said passing Alan a white envelope bearing the inscription of the times on the outside Allan felt a frisen of excitement as he carefully opened it up and read the letter inside his face lit up I’ve won a competition he said what competition and more importantly what have we won she asked her interest mounting it was one run by the Times Wine club in conjunction with the Times crossword I entered a few months ago anyway we won first prize a mixed case of Premier crew and a week’s full board for two in Bordeaux with ,000 spending money June looked astounded good Heavens how wonderful we never win anything she wasn’t that Keen on red wine but she liked the idea of a holiday in France and could already smell the fresh quel what did you have to do she asked I had to come up with a crossword clue for the word vintage mine was classic French wine with time to mature I don’t get it said June cryptic crosswords had never been her thing classic means vintage French for wine is Van time is tea and to mature is to age put them together you get van t h vintage well that’s very clever said Jude not really getting it but what a fabulous prize in our golden anniversary year and what a good year it will be
3 Comments
@JULIAN-fe9kz
What a nice view, Julian. I love it.
Great tap for a vintage theme using crossword clues. And I would like to say that your writing always inspires me, Julian. I wish I could be as clever as you so I could write a story like this. But anyway, they say everyone is a writer in their own special way. So I will keep going and trying. Keep inspiring. Thank you.
Sweet story, Julian. Do couples long married, really speak like this? Do they glow in each other's company? Clever description of vintage!
Where was your fabulous photo taken?
I loved your cryptic crossword clue take on the prompt, Julian, very imaginative. Such a sweet story and you describe the elderly couple so well, I could picture them perfectly. Beautifully read, as always.