Thank you for the music: Joe and Alan's friendship

I have been befriending Alan for around 6 months, and in that time, we have been to see four music productions and one musical.  

Alan is partially sighted and can only move for extended periods of time in a wheelchair, but he loves music. He is a man of particular taste: there have been many times where I’ve flicked through a show brochure and he has come back with various criticisms relating to the discography of one artist or another. However, he has a deep love for Buddy Holly and Little Richard, with ELO and ABBA also on his radar. 

We will often meet 2 hours before a show and ready ourselves for the journey ahead - oftentimes via the bus. These visits, whether we take the 197 or fork out for the comfort of a taxi, are always eventful. I think that they are part of the experience for the both of us: we speak about football, current events and even Alan’s trips out to South Africa when he was younger.  

I feel glad and extremely lucky to have spent such brilliant times with Alan at the theatre - whether it was Mamma Mia!, or a tribute to the music of the 50s and 60s - because I see how much he enjoys our visits.  

Alan always enjoys the shows, and I, unexpectedly, do too. 

That’s something so unique to volunteering with Link Age Southwark - it is so delightfully unpredictable.  

I also find Alan to be unexpectedly resilient. He is perhaps a little grumpy on the surface (who isn’t?) but in the time I’ve spent with him, I’ve come to know a man full of history and humour. He’s a man of gruff kindness and sharp wit - his banter is so effortless, managing to charm each and every person who crosses our path.  

He’s a man who has had so much taken away but has refused to let go of his joy.