In the sky

Round 11: Spring 2015


Max Fielding is 59, Regan is 51 and Lilly is 10.
(Nyah is 29, Thomas is 28 and Erin is 20.)

Narrated by Regan Fielding

Erin came for a visit with Iona from Brixton so we invited Nyah and Thomas and their kids as well. It feels like they were born yesterday but Skye and Iona are already 3 and Kyra and Jett are 15 months!

It was so nice to see the kids playing together. I told Lilly to join them but she refused saying that she's too old to play on the activity table

"And I'm definitely too old to play with babies", she said like she's a grown-up already.

She wanted to play chess with Erin instead. Erin is coping very well with Iona and her studies. I thought she and Greg would get together soon but he moved to Kalaupapa Island a few months ago. Apparently he wants to find himself.

I'm glad at least one of our daughters has found a decent man. Well, as decent as a man with a criminal history can be. I'm glad he changed his mind and his career. They seem so happy together.

I asked him about his job in the law firm. He said everything's going fine but I got the feeling that it's not really what he wants to do.

I noticed that Lilly went to play with blocks on the activity table the moment our guests left. I guess she's not too old to play when there's no one to see!

She never says no to a bedtime story either. But I'm not complaining! In a couple of years she probably won't even let me enter her room anymore.

Max has been working on his memoirs a lot lately and he finally finished it. It's titled "Life of the Party" and I can't wait to read it.

He's grown somewhat tired of his job. It pays well but he says it's quite humiliating for a 59-year-old man to party with a bunch of 20-something boys and girls.

"Why don't you quit then? I know you want to", I asked him. He said that we had to think about the kids and the house and everything. But we don't really need the money. I don't want him to do something he hates.

We're doing very well financially. We were even able to hire a gardener which is great! Neither of us is very interested in gardening although we enjoy looking at the plants.

The shop is doing really well. It seems there's a real music hobby boom going around Wellington since people are buying new instruments everyday.

I think one of the main reasons for the shop's success is that Max treats every person like they are the most valuable customer that walked in.

I started reading his memoirs the other day and I just can't seem to put the book down! I've heard most of the stories already but it's all just so funny and tragic and shocking at the same time.

He quit his job and it looks like a huge weight was lifted off his shoulders. He said that now he can do something he enjoys so he got a job as a Summer Music Camp Teacher. He said he'll be the friendly grandpa who teaches the kids to enjoy music. I'm just happy to see him smile and enjoy his life again.

Notes:

• Title from "In the sky" by Mark Knopfler
• Max got the want to quit his job and I let him. He's reached his LTW and the family is doing well financially. He managed to get €40,000 from a chance card so that was nice. He's now in the music career with no pressure to get promotions.
• Lilly is getting closer to puberty. She'll age to teen in the year 2017.