Giving Chase
As reactions to being abandoned go, I came across a crackerjack of a one, a few weeks back. It concerned an incident involving a Mrs Susan Brown, 65, from Fontmell Magna, Dorset. She had been on a four-week cruise of the West Indies with her husband. With a few days left of the cruise, they had decided to cut it short and fly home from Madeira (an Atlantic Island below Portugal).
When they got to the airport in Madeira, they became separated. Mrs Brown observed the cruise ship they’d left (Marco Polo) sail by the coastline from the airport window, and became convinced her husband had re-boarded the ship to return to Britain and leave her behind. Her response to this was to take a taxi down to the shore and jump into the sea to try and swim to the cruise ship (she failed in this endeavour and was rescued three hours later by local fishermen, who saw her clinging to her handbag).
Her husband’s response to being separated at the airport we are told was more measured; he waited in the departure lounge and then got on the flight back to England.
Although Mrs Brown’s reaction to feeling abandoned was extreme, I do have some sympathy for her and can empathise with her situation. I too have felt abandoned by potential partners (girls I used to know). This has manifested itself in a sudden disappearance of communication from them (to my phone or [before I stopped using it] social media).
This correspondent has felt the temptation like Mrs Brown to swim after them regardless, but has learnt over the years that it is better to resist this metaphorical urge, and choose a reaction more similar to Mr Brown of waiting (for another young lady) & getting on (with chatting her up).
I’d like to think that the three hours Mrs Brown spent paddling about off the coast of Madeira, would have learnt her the lesson- the next time she is separated from her husband she need not feel like a fish out of water.
Hashtags: #HumourousStory 
