What are your favorite things about each of your children?
‘Y’realise I got six’ Ron mustered, shifting a young son - curly-haired Jim in his posh shirt and trousers - where he droused against his shoulder. A long morning of playtime with the dogs out back of the Trader had knackered him out, bless his little socked feet. As had the forty-four sleepless hours he’d had prior. ‘Take us an age t’list th’lot. So y’ll ‘av one fing each.’
Slowly, Ron paced about the now almost empty bar; taking his time to think through his answer. He recognised this Grey. They’d been in before. They’d get words if they were patient.
‘Livia’ he said, beginning with his eldest girl. ‘Love ‘ow still she can be, ‘n I don’t mean just physically. Don’t jus’ mean sit still Liv. I mean as a personality, as a person, she’s very calm; very still. Like undisturbed water. I’s a nice feelin’ t’av off a person - very soovin’ t’be near. S’why this’n-’ He glanced at snoozing Jim; the littlen happily dibbling away over the fingers he had near his mouth. ‘-Enjoys bein’ rahnd ‘er so much. Calms ‘im dahn.
‘Max now. Love ‘is pr’tectiveness. Even young as ‘ee is I can see it in ‘ow ‘ee is rahnd ‘is ‘li’le bruvvahs ‘n sistah. Rahnd Liv too, ‘n ‘is mum t’a degree. I respect tha’ quali’y abaht ‘im. ‘Ee’ll grow up t’be a good man. C’n feel it abaht ‘im.
‘John - love ‘ow easy goin’ ‘ee is. Ee’s like tall bamboo stalks caught on a gentle breeze; ‘ee adapts t’circumstances ‘n changes so easy. Tha’s sumfin I find ‘ard too, so I really admire it abaht ‘im. ‘Specially since ‘ee’s still so young.
‘This’n ‘ere-’ Again, he nods towards Jim’s snoozing form. A wide hand lays gently upon the boy’s back. He doesn’t stir. When he speaks again, Ron’s voice is warm. ‘Ow clevah ‘ee is wiv language. ‘Ee speaks two ‘n BSL already - granted one’a them’s made up; th’Elf language ahta Lord’a th’Rings. Sind-rin or sumfin. Bu’ still. ‘Ee applied ‘imself ‘n learned it ‘n BSL too on top’a ‘is native English. Tha’s an ‘ell ov a skill; very impressive.
‘RJ - wha’s not t’love, aye?’ His smile quirks up a little on one side; thoughts of this son of his always joyous ones - but for the rare ones that weren’t. ‘Ee’s made’a sunshine, that’n. Always rollin’ rahnd ahtside wiv Violet. I love ‘is disposition - ‘is ‘appiness - ‘n ‘ow ‘ee bonds wiv all ‘is siblin’s too. ‘Ee’s a lissenah is RJ; a li’le sponge wiv very li’le filtah f’wha’ ‘ee picks up on. Y’gotta mind ‘im in tha’ regard - make sure ‘ee knows if voices’re raised tha’ ‘ees not on the receivin’ end ov a rollickin’.
‘N Violet - again, wha’s not t’love? She’s me princess, bless’ er. Th’daddy’s girl ov daddy’s girls. ‘Eart’a gold ‘as Vi - much as she can be a madam at times. I love ‘er adventurous spirit. Always explorin’ - bein’ th’princess ov wherevah she is at th’time....’N tha’s th’lot ov ‘em. Now, if y’don’t mind-’ Ron nodded towards the pub’s front doors.
‘Aht y’go.’