I’d known Karen for the whole of my school life, but we became boyfriend/girlfriend mid-teens and went out for a little over three really lovely years. A little while in, we’d got to an age where we wanted to have money (mostly to buy Woodpecker cider as I recall!) so we decided we’d both get after-school/Saturday jobs.
Karen ultimately ended up working at an old-school greengrocer on Upminster’s high street. She’d have to get up early on Saturday mornings, man the stall (half of which was out on the cold street) and generally come home smelling like Brussel sprouts.
I, however, lucked out; I got a job as a cook at the “Upminster Kebab and Pizza Palace”. I got to stand in a warm foody shop, helping myself to bits and bobs from the kitchen as the evenings went on. At the end of the night, if any pizza bases were left over, the owner would tell me to make myself something to take home rather than go to waste. As a result, I’d often hide one last base (that would magically materialise around 11pm as the lights were about to go out!).
Many is the night I’d cycle to Karen’s house with a large pizza strapped to the back of my bike, waking her up for a midnight feast. If we were lucky, we might even have a little bit of Woodpecker left!
I have a million lovely thoughts about my time as Karen’s friend and boyfriend. Sadly I’m overseas for her service so won’t get to share any there, so thought I’d post this one here. I’m truly devastated she’s not with us any more. R.I.P. Kaz x