My old man

O meu pai faleceu hoje, com setenta anos e dois dias. Tenho a ferida demasiado aberta e a alma demasiado desertada para falar sobre este homem, sobre o pai exemplar, o marido extremoso, o grande português que ele é. Mas esta é uma história que eu quero contar, mais tarde.

Entretanto, recordo que quando ele fez sessenta e quatro lhe escrevi uma carta. O que estava nessa carta fica entre mim e ele. Mas, em anexo, levava esta letra de uma canção do Ian Dury, que é o poema que eu, enquanto filho, gostava de ter escrito ao meu “velho”:

My old man wore three piece whistles
He was never home for long
Drove a bus for London Transport
He knew where he belonged
Number 18 down to Euston
Double decker move along
Double decker move along
My old man

Later on he drove a Roller
Chauffeuring for foreign men
Dropped his aitches on occasion
Said, "Cor blimey!" now and then
Did the crossword in the Standard
At the airport in the rain
At the airport in the rain
My old man

Wouldn't ever let his governers
Call him 'Billy', he was proud
Personal reasons make a difference
His last boss was allowed
Perhaps he had to keep his distance
Made a racket when he rowed
Made a racket when he rowed
My old man
My old man

My old man was fairly handsome
He smoked too many cigs
Lived in one room in Victoria
He was tidy in his digs
Had to have an operation
When his ulcer got too big
When his ulcer got too big
My old man
My old man

Seven years went out the window
We met as one to one
Died before we'd done much talking
A friendship had begun
All the while we thought about each other
All the best, mate, from your son
All the best, mate, from your son
My old man
My old man