Magic O’Clock
by Lynne Fellows
Other eretailers (Kobo, B&N, Apple) :https://www.books2read.com/MOC
Archie Royle is a kind, funny, gentle man.
He’s also my dad. My storyteller. My hero.
Except he doesn’t remember my face anymore.
His world, these days, doesn’t include me or his family.
Life may have changed for him, but he hasn’t given up on life.
Not at all.
It’s just different.
Dad still tells his stories, albeit for a new audience.
He makes people smile and chuckle. As he always did.
He’s a fighter, a survivor and maybe sometimes too clever for his own good! He’ll surprise you. I can assure you of that.
Welcome to Magic O’Clock, where time is irrelevant and hope is unlimited.
Magical Memories
As Archie Royle takes his final breath, three sisters race to say their goodbyes.
Two don’t make it in time.
I do.
And now, it’s all my fault they’re too late.
Despite him having dementia.
Despite them not visiting in over a month.
But I won’t let anger win.
After all, we’re all grieving, aren’t we?
Surely, as a family, we can let bygones be bygones.
It’s what Dad would want. Expect.
It’s what he deserves.
We have so much to be grateful for.
So many fond and magical memories to share.
Magical Memories is a fictional tale of loss, grief and moving on.
My Rating:
Favorite Quotes:
Magic O’Clock
Every day, without fail, shortly before three o’clock, he stops everything and heads off to his command post ready to enthrall his eager listeners. No watch is needed to tell him when it’s time. It’s purely instinctive and part of the daily marvel I have come to cherish.
The grandfather clock in the main vestibule strikes once, then again and finally the third chime rings out. Dad is back. Complete with his confident mannerisms and easy charm. The lost soul that inhabits his body and mind for most of the day is vanquished for now and the man in his place is my father of old. My heart skips a beat as the transformation takes effect and the wonderful, self-assured storyteller prepares to weave his tale.
He is a true word-smith, a man for whom eloquence and diction make pillow talk while he sleeps.
Audience participation is his specialty. He loves teasing them into a frenzy. The nurses are constantly telling him not to, after all, some of these people have serious conditions, and too much excitement can be dangerous. But Archie’s response is always the same, ‘at least they’ll die with a smile on their face.’
Magical Memories
Where his tales came from, we’ll never know. Like a seasoned bowler, he’d put his own spin on it, launching it at full speed towards his unsuspecting audience.
When he surrendered the battle of the comb-over some years ago, it marked a turning point. It was at that moment I accepted defeat to his dementia. My hopes to avoid admitting him to a private care home waned, and I finally conceded that all the stored memory in my father’s brain was leaking out like a burst water pipe I could not fix.
To say she blanched would be an understatement, but her complexion made Frosty the Snowman look like he was having a hot flush.
Diplomacy is the act of thinking twice before saying nothing – not a skill I had ever learnt.
My Review:
While her father may have lost his memories and no longer recognize his family, mercifully, he had not lost his words or the ability to spin a good yarn and entertain his fellow residents at the retirement village. These were delightfully vivid, tender, and heart-squeezing tales of bittersweet observations and inner musings. The writing was poignant and emotive and so dear it stung my eyes and put a hot rock in my throat. L.S. Fellows conjures sharp visuals with her excellent word skills. She is a master storyteller with immediate engagement and keenly crafted storylines.
Author Bio – Despite being born in England, my heart now lies in Spain. Many moons ago, I was a student in Granada, Spain. I loved it so much and swore I would return one day on a more permanent basis. In 2003, I did just that.
Now, as a fur-mum to two adorable but mischievous mutts, in my free time, I can usually be spotted with my nose in a book, armed with just the teeniest chunk of chocolate and a zillion pomegranates!
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