The Affair by Rhona Gorringe
My dearest:
I didn’t want it to happen but there are some things in this life that just do and you can’t do anything about it. I’ve never believed in secrets between two people who love each other as we do.
When our clarinet player went off so unexpectedly leaving us in the lurch, we couldn’t cancel our tour and the agency sent a replacement. It was such a surprise to see Hugo. We used to play duets at school all those years ago. Then he went into wind. We didn’t consider ourselves a couple but the others always made jokes about his wind and being my ‘beau’ and being my second fiddle and all that.. He went abroad and we lost touch, you know how it goes! Anyway, he crept in just as maestro was explaining about easing into the adagio, after the allegro, third movement and I didn’t notice him. He’s got a beard now. But when we had our break he came right over and said “D’you remember me” and it took me a few moments and then I said “By golly, I do!” After the rehearsal we went to that coffee shop on the corner and talked and laughed and talked, caught up on old times and new ones too. And that’s how it began.
I didn’t think of it as an affair, per se, and it was never a full blown effort, sneaking off to Brighton or anything like that. I think our mutual attraction crept up on us without our realising it. You’re always so busy at work and the overseas conferences. Sometimes I think you see me as a hoover or simply a person who ‘does’ Anyway you’ve often propounded the idea of a ‘modern marriage.’
With the tour rapidly approaching more rehearsals have been called, positively throwing us at each other. We find we’ve advanced beyond duets, you might even say we’re definitely a molto fortissimo with allegro movement, a touch of the passionatas!
I expect you think I’m the selfish one and I suppose I am in that I’ve got you as well, two strings to my bow, perhaps? I do love you. I could never leave you, after all these years. We had our Jubilate celebrations last year and I treasure the memory of your carrying me over the threshold that day in August all those years ago. How time flies and happy times too!
I don’t suppose it will last. I know I’m not a Mimi or a Violetta! After the tour he’s principal wind somewhere in South America and I shall return to earth and glissando back to second violin in the pit. My darling, can you forgive me this temporary fantasia, my frolic? I know I haven’t played it brilliantly.
By the way, I checked the pockets when I took your suit to the cleaners. Found these. (enclosed) They’re not mine! Bit flimsy and wrong size!
Always yours, my darling, Flora.
Very witty, and with a hint of Mapp and Lucia about it.
From Simon: I enjoyed the wit of this piece. There is something inherently humorous in the jargon people use in certain professions. ‘Then he went into wind’ is a perfectly normal expression for musicians, but of course is sounds funny to the rest of us. There are plenty of similar examples in this piece – and some nice musical puns. The letter-writer has a naturally colloquial turn of phrase too. I enjoy lines like: ‘I didn’t think of it as an affair, per se’, ‘Sometimes I think you see me as a hoover’ and ‘I know I’m not a Mimi or Violetta!’ The ending is a neat example of the worm turning. We’ve been warned. References to the husband ‘always being so busy at work and the overseas conferences’ stimulate our suspicions, as does his desire for a ‘modern marriage’. (Funny how people – usually men – who want a ‘modern’ or ‘open marriage’ only want it to open on one side.) So, there’s a nice symmetry to the wife’s discovery in the pockets of his suit. We feel a great sympathy for the letter-writer who has given her husband such a satisfactory comeuppance. We also feel that, despite its imperfections, the marriage will survive as strong as it’s ever been… but at least the wife has had her moment in the sun.