E-MAIL FROM A CHESS MASTER
I heard from my brother, Guy, this Christmas—and was very pleased. Well, technically, he is a half brother—his father was my much loved step-father, Alfred Lyons—but we never made anything of that particular technicality.
Mind you we rowed about just about everything else. My mother was, to put it at its politest, volatile—so set a rather disastrous tone. Accordingly, it was the family custom to over-react when we were young. I suspect we have all mellowed since then.
Guy has made a great success of his life in a Hobbit-like way—to quote him. He has his own decorating business, a lovely wife, and is an exceptional chess player. He lives in Glasgow, Scotland.
I don’t know him very well—more is the pity—but hope to remedy that. As readers of this blog will gather, family life was complicated.
Personally, I don’t play chess, though have done so in the past. In fact, I well recall an epic game with my step-father, Alfred, which lasted for something like 12 hours. Good grief! All that reading and writing time lost! I have been a book-worm from an early age.
But, I will freely admit, chess is one hell of a game. I’m very proud of brother, Guy. He has triumphed against considerable adversity.
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