Im sure we all have that one person in the family who will always be remembered the most, talked about the most with great fondness. Well my 2nd cousin my Auntie Margaret is this lady for me. As a child she bought me a dress from Spain after a holiday with my parents there and from then on became known as the spanish lady to me. Living in Texas all her life after marrying a nice quiet man from Texas, it never changed her from being the spanish lady to me.
This isn't what makes her memorable. What makes her memorable for me and my family was her ability to turn any situation in life, good or bad around and into something funny or something good that we would remember. She said to me once, there are two types of girls in this world, girls that are bitches and the ones who pretend they arent. At least hunni, I know I'm a bitch!!....
She did have a hard life and sadly died from cancer many years ago now but her memory and funny stories live on with me and my family still and I wanted to share one such story with you now... its funny and I think you will get an idea of the spanish lady from this...
My mum and Auntie Margaret were always centre of the fun and laugther on any outing that was had with the Garda Choir. My Dad was a member and on this particular day, we were having a day trip on the ferry from Dublin to Fishguard. Back in them days, it was all about a chance to get some duty free and have a good day out. Today was no different so having parked themselves in a prime location on the boat, the bar of course and surrounded themselves with the usual suspects, they knew they were in for a good day..
However, there was one lady among the group who didnt seem to agree with the fun and laugher. I believe this particular lady's dislikes were borne out of jealousy as she was not included with the incrowd and rather than be nice, she usually resorted to being a bitch. Her bitchiness or her competitive bitchiness was always directed at my mother. She was always trying to put my mother down or out do her in some way. Rather a wasted past time for this lady as it never dampened the fun or the laughs the ladies had.
Having spent a few hours now in the bar and having a great ole day, this lady, we will call her Joan returned from duty free with her purchases and made a beeline for my mother. "look at what I got Doris, perfume from my husband, she said waving the bottle at my mother, "the real thing, none of that eau de toilette for me and a 100 ml bottle too". Momentarily giving Joan the attention she deserved, everyone smiled at her but quickly returned to their own conversations and laughs, leaving her out in the cold once again.
Now my Auntie Margaret had one thing in life she really hated and that was anyone having a go at her cousin Doris(my mum). So a few hours later on the return trip from Fishguard, my Auntie Margaret took her own trip to the Duty Free. She bought a litre bottle of Jameson Whiskey to bring back to the States with her and asked the nice assistant to gift wrap it for her as it was a present for someone.
On returning to the bar from the Duty Free, Margaret made a very big entrance, " OH GIRLS, Look at this", she stated very loudly placing the now gift wrapped bottle on the table in front of joan's bottle of 100ml perfume. Once Margaret knew she had the rooms attention as only margaret could command, she looked Joan straight in the eye and said.....
"Oh hunni, see what I got in the duty free, CHANNEL NO.5.... you should have married a Texan sweetie" and with that Margaret winked at my mother who was trying very hard not to laugh as she looked on at poor joan's face. Joan's face has gone very pale now as she stared at what she thought was a litre bottle of pure Channel No.5 which put her own very small gift wraped bottle to shame.
