Here's Alison: God Bless You Sir
Alison Ross recalls a happy family holiday that began wih a sneeze.
Family holidays aren’t always happy occasions. Our children were often grumpy after sitting still for hours in a car, while their father pressed on, heedless of hunger gnawing at little tummies. Holidays for dad didn't begin until we reached our chosen holiday spot.
Like many farming people, we were only able to take holidays in the winter, when the cows were dry. The man in my life wasn’t keen to delegate his responsibilities, so we seldom left the farm, except for very short trips to town to visit the children’s grandparents, or go to the local grocery shop.
On one particular holiday, we had been travelling for hours. We all were tired and hungry. Finally, when we arrived at Rotorua, the four youngsters crammed into the back of the car were close to open warfare.
It was a winter’s evening. The kids’ relief was tangible when we found the right address and turned into the driveway of the Thermal Park Motor-camp. Dad turned off the engine. We all just sat there for a few moments, enjoying the quiet.
A man suddenly appeared from the rear of the camp, walking at a brisk pace, carrying a towel and wet togs. We sat in the car, watching him with interest. When he was level with the driver's door he came to an abrupt stop. A gigantic sneeze erupted from him.
It was followed by a child's voice from inside the car, so clear in the still evening air that it was to remain etched in our memories.
"God Bless you sir.''
Our son Peter set the mood for our holiday. We had a wonderful time and we couldn’t stop laughing!
