CHARLIE IS MY DARLING
- Robin Blackburne
This piece was written for Charles d'Alton on the occasion of his
retirement. Charles was a great wine
lover and for many years the Export Director of Harvey's, the famous Sherry
Shippers. It was read at the farewell party
given for him in Bristol, England on the 1st of June 1984.
"You
are old, Father d'Alton". the young man said
"And your wines are exceedingly rare.
But like
you they are ancient and well nigh dead.
Is it
true you are losing your hair?"
"You
should drink, Father d'Alton, your old Sauternes
And your Margaux of nineteen-o-three.
Let's
imbibe it this evening before it turns;
I'll decant it an hour after tea."
"You
shall not" Father d'Alton replied "how dare
You touch bottles which aren't at their peak.
You are
wrong, very wrong and I do declare
You're a
fool. Do you think I'm antique?"
"Not
at all, Father d'Alton, you're still very young,
It's your wines I am worried about.
But I hope you'll forgive me I'm quite highly
strung
And afraid that they'll never hold out."
"It's
a shame Father d'Alton", the young man said
"To
let wines which are over the hill
Become older and older until they are dead
And you
still haven't written your will."
"You
are old Father d'Alton", the young man said
And it's
time for you now to retire
To a
house in the country or yacht in the Med
Or a cottage with thatched roof and
fire."
It was
fun, was it not, in the wild old days
When you drank Bristol Cream BEFORE tea
At the
Coral Beach Club as the slanting rays
Of the sun warmed the sand and the sea.
It is
true, Charlie d'Alton, you've run for and caught
Many
flights and taxis and trains
In
pursuit of the sale of fine Sherry and Port
And in
spite of your aches and your pains.
We're
all sad, Charlie d'Alton, to see you depart
From the
noblest of all noble trades
In which
wine is created through science and art
And like
you we don't dies we just fades.
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