Grey-Bruce Boomers Spring 2023

OPINION
by Audrey Otter
to the stereotype of seniors being frail. There
gradually became a slow healing and acceptance of
our losses.
Over those months we presented the play 136 times
to nearly 4,000 people. Some of the places included
the Shoppers Home Innovations Conference in
Toronto, Cape Croker Madookii Senior Centre,
Elliott Lake Senior Centre, Home and Community
Care Network Barrie, Oneida Nations of the
Thames People of the Standing Stone, the Smart
Risk Conference in London, Ont., and, much
to our delight, a co-presentation with both the
Canadian Snowbirds in Hanover and their English
Counterpart, the Red Arrows in London, England.
“
A program for ‘Bruno and Alice: A Love Story,’ which
soon became a real love story for the actors.
It was a delight to work with Ted and
Audrey. When I first brought them
together, Ted used to make outrageous
claims about how Audrey flirted with him.
Audrey would protest indignantly... well,
kind of. After a few weeks, I was
thinking, “Methinks the lady doth
protest too much.” Shortly after that, he
quit claiming the flirting was on her part
and she quit protesting his teasing. The
next thing I heard, they were going on a
real date, and the rest is history.”
We travelled unfamiliar territory with our
relationship and Ted got back to enjoying singing.
On New Year’s Eve, to welcome in 2005, we had a
proper date and danced the old year away. We were
the best dressed and certainly the oldest couple on
the floor and the only ones able to dance ballroom
style! I am glad to share with you that the Alice and
Bruno romance became a Ted and Audrey romance.
Whatever our spiritual affiliation, we must face the
fact this life is not a dress rehearsal for an afterlife.
We must live it each day and that – with the help of
Stay on Your Feet theatre – Ted and I were doing
just that, and in spades.
Shirley and Eric were still always with us, the gentle
shades who supported and loved us for so many
years. They were both excellent artists and their
paintings surrounded us. The beautiful afghan
blankets Shirley made kept us warm. The house
Eric built sheltered us. They were never far from our
thoughts, and we spoke of them every day.
We felt so fortunate to have found each other in a time
of mutual need, and we were even more fortunate
to have so much in common. I’m here to tell you
our dear Marguerite, our unpaid matchmaker, was
- Marguerite Oberle Thomas