***
At the time pressure of work prevented me from making the trip even though I was quite taken by the idea of seeing part of my past before it was finally gone forever. I imagined the village would look strangely bare without that old tree's shadow. I wrote to John with some regret but I asked him to let me know how it went on the big day, for a big day in the village life it would
certainly be, because they were to lose, wanted or not, part of their history.
Sure enough, in due course, John's letter came.