Silver-Topped Che
Emily Bishop left for Peru. Monday she announced her plan to go see her nephew Geoffrey, aka Spyder, who is working in an orphanage there. Thursday we said hasta luego to her.
When she first mentioned Spyder, and that she hadn’t heard from him in such a long time, I thought maybe he was coming back. Wouldn’t that be wonderful! Then it entered my mind – maybe he wasn’t coming back, maybe she would go see him. And so it came to pass.
Billy encouraged her to go. Rita told her to seize the moment, do what you want to do while you still can. Norris told her and anyone who would listen that she was insane to leave her home and a lifestyle befitting her age and abilities. A “silver-topped Che Guevera in wide-fitting shoes,” he scoffed. She told him that she would like his blessing but was going with or without it.
Leaving gifts
New Year’s night in Weatherfield, she was in front of her house awaiting her taxi. Ken was there to see her off. Tracy, her goddaughter, was not. Big surprise. Rita was there. Billy and Anna were there. Mary came with the gift of a diary and many pens so she could record her activities and moods with different coloured inks.
At the last moment, Norris rushed up carrying a bag. “Pencils,” he said, “300 pencils.” He had been emailing with Spyder who told him that’s what would be most useful that Emily could bring. Norris included writing pads as well. I’d been doing well up to that point, but then I couldn’t help but cry.
And Nessa ran to the group, arms full of Freshco bags and plans for dinner and phone calls about something her son was up to and impatience at Emily not being gone yet. “She’s making a meal of it!” Nessa harrumphed. Ken looked at her with disgust.
Nessa flapping distracted him during those precious moments with his friend of 55 years. But Ken got rid of her in time to rejoin the others in saying goodbye.
A house without Emily Bishop
There was one more poignant scene after Emily’s departure. Norris alone at their dining room table, the wedding photo of Ernest and Emily Bishop behind him. He turns the television on and flicks through channels, trying to put some life in the house. He turns it off, and scrapes his uneaten dinner into the bin.
