Talisker 10: A random memory
I bought a bottle of Talisker 10 today, and it reminded me of the last bottle I bought exactly one year ago. It was a happy memory marking a not-happy event, and I found myself laughing about it when I remembered today, so I’ll share the story. (Are you excited?!)
It was 24 April 2013. I went to Tesco to pick up a bottle of Talisker 10 to mark the 4th anniversary of my husband’s death a couple of days later. (It was his favourite whisky.) Only I didn’t see any on the shelf so I stood there pondering what to do next. Would I try to find it somewhere else? Would I maybe get a bottle of my favourite instead? I honestly didn’t know what to do so I stood there just trying not to cry.
Then I noticed the man next to me put the bottle he was looking at back on the shelf before he shuffled over to look at another whisky. And guess what! It was the last bottle of Talisker! So, I quickly picked the bottle up and started walking away. I felt so relieved; it was just meant to be!
But then the man stopped me and said “Oh, I was going to get that” and tried to take it away from me. I calmly explained that he set it down and had walked away, after which a back-and-forth followed.
He explained that he needed the whisky for a dinner party and that he would “make a scene”.
And I told him, in simple terms, that I needed it to take “to my dead husband at the cemetery” and I’d make a bigger scene than he could imagine.
I don’t know what came over me and was a little surprised at the words that came out of my mouth. But then, just as I was getting ready to apologise and hand over the bottle, the man hung his head and apologised profusely as he stared at the floor.
I guess dead husbands win over dinner parties!
I felt a bit crass using the phrase “dead husband” (especially as I’d never said it like that before) but it worked at the moment. I’m sure I sounded quite bitchy, but I needed to have that bottle!
This year was a lot easier. I got to Tesco, went to the whisky aisle – where I was the only person to be seen – and I had a choice of five bottles of Talisker 10 to chose from.
Maybe the ease of purchasing my whisky is a positive omen for the ease of marking the 5th anniversary of Paul’s death on Saturday. Maybe, but I’m not counting on it…
I’m sorry, but any man who threatens to “make a scene” should be summarily ejected from the Man Club, have his membership card torn up in front of his eyes, and be forever after banned from peeing while standing up.
As soon as I’m finished here, I will be writing a letter to the Talisker distillery strongly suggesting more rigorous criteria be applied to prospective purchasers of their product.
I know this is a difficult time for you Frances, my thoughts and prayers are with you.
Yes, the man was behaving very badly. I think that he saw the bottle get nipped up and all of the sudden wanted what he couldn’t have. I don’t generally make a big deal out of things like that and would have normally just handed over the bottle and grumbled under my breath. But there was an emotional trigger that day and the Crazy Widow in me came out. He looked mortified, which made me feel bad, but by the time I got to my car I couldn’t stop laughing.
It was a happy memory when I picked up a new bottle yesterday – and I really like happy memories!