Strangers on a Bench - EPISODE 59: The Back of His Neck

Episode Date: October 27, 2025

Tom Rosenthal approaches a stranger on a park bench and asks if he can sit down next to them and record their conversation.This is what happened! Produced by Tom RosenthalEdited by Rose De LarrabeitiMixed by Mike WoolleyTheme tune by Tom Rosenthal & Lucy Railton Incidental music by Maddie AshmanEnd song : 'The Back of His Neck' by Anna B SavageStream it here : https://ffm.to/thebackofhisneckListen to all the end songs featured on the podcast (so far) on one handy playlist :https://ffm.to/soabendsongs————————————————————————————Instagram : @strangersonabench Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello, sorry to bother you. Can I ask you a slightly odd question? I'm making a podcast called Strangers on a bench where essentially I talk to people I don't know on benches for 10 or 15 minutes. Are you up for that? Do you want to give it a go? Are you ready? I am. I'm stunned.

Go on. What's your favourite day of the week? Friday. Hopeful going into the weekend. Because I've worked all my life, so I've worked all my life. all my life. So a Friday was like a joy. Let's go from waking up to go to bed. What is your idea of a Friday really well lived? Hopping out a bed because it is Friday. Yeah.

Love it. You kind of hop out with a really good feeling, kind of thinking, oh my God. So it's just like instant spring? Instant spring. You don't sit there and bed thinking about life. No, not on a Friday. Oh, but every other. Well, on a Monday you might kind of, you might kind of, you, you, you, you, you just like, you.

You kind of slow motion out of bed. But on a Friday, you are springing always. I'm trying to imagine what this spring looks like. You try and describe it. You're horizontal. You wake up and it's kind of bounding up and then literally jumping out of bed. No hesitation.

Just it's Friday. And then how quickly are you into action after that? After a shower, a cup of coffee, straight into it and then thinking about that early finish. There's like a big sprinter. Are you a sprinter? I'm a fast walker all my life. There we go. Yeah, this is in me.

Who made you walk fast? I think it's genetic. I think my parents were fast workers. Oh, hang on. Sorry, walking and working now. Both. Both. I meant fast walker and hard worker. I'm getting mixed up. Do you understand it now? I understand it now.

They do. They do. Yeah, in that way. So you're still a fast walker. Yeah. You've always been a fast walker because your parents are fast walking. Yeah, I think it's, yeah. You just speed past people when you're walking. I do.

And in fact, I drive my husband nuts because he's not. And to slow down actually causes me to have to think about walking slow. Yeah. You know what? This is perfect. You said this because I'm also a very fast walker. Yeah. It is a problem, I think.

Sorry, it's not a problem if you're alone. But, you know, I walk with my children. They have to be really fast now. And then when they walk with their friends, they're too fast. I'm always just a bit ahead of everyone. Yeah. It's just quite tired. Yeah.

So how do you manage husband then when you're walking with husband? Oh, I just get really irritated, thinking, oh, come on. And then if he's going, oh, you walk too fast, which he says often, then I just start kind of playing around almost walking. very slow. Does this mean you don't go walking together? We do. No, we do a lot because we live in around the corner here

and we've got a little dog and we would often take him out. Yeah. Together? Yeah. So it can be a problem. One of life's problems. What are your other problems? Sorry.

What are your other problems? So at the moment, my current problem, I don't know whether you, this is right for this. Everything's right for everything. But I finished up work in January. And I'm thinking of going back to work. But for now, I don't quite know what to do with my time. Okay.

is that too deep or nutty or ridiculous that's just completely reason like after a lifetime of work it's like what do I really do with my time that's a very reasonable question to ask so much of your life you don't even think that and I never thought that yeah and it's the first time since January I don't quite know what to do so you've been fine since January and this has come up now Well, the truth is, part of filling my time from January was our son got married beginning of June, so there were lots of things to do. Oh, things to look forward to it. And I feel now that we're back from all of that, it's almost like, suddenly, like, oh God.

What now? What now? And, you know, do you fear it or do you see it as an opportunity? If I'm honest, I've dreaded it. If I was to sit today and be totally honest on this park bench, it would have. actually be that I dread it but I actually I've kind of seen glimmers of opportunity but it's not been my first thought if that makes sense yeah I don't want you to think I'm in a big hole but it is just a really new thought for me it's very understandable yeah your brain has been hardwired yeah

to be all action action action action actually obvious purpose purpose absolutely and suddenly you'd strip that away and that's anyone would struggle and it's like Like, what is it? I need to be doing, should be doing, want to do. When you see glimmers, what are you seeing when you see those? Doing some work that may be different in what my core career was. You know, something even more social, more creative. They're the kind of hopeful things.

Do you have to make money when you go back to do something? No. Okay, so that's quite a big deal. that leads you the many more often it does but for me I think it's almost a greater need than that in some ways it would be easier if I did yeah of course right because then it would just be

the hard facts of life you just go and do it and you don't think about it so actually it's that creates more of a burden is that that makes sense it makes perfect sense yeah in your kind of wildest thoughts where have you ventured in your mind um i've got an irish background

and one thing was that i do something in the irish community yeah you know obviously i've grown up with and love the culture i could be with people and make new friends the other thought in my head is pure imagination and all those kind of things and maybe it's with a a bit of envy because my career was in corporate was to, how wonderful would it be to go into a creative space and a creative team? Yeah. I sound like a mad woman, I think. Can you do at all? Honestly, I've seen everyone now and you're really not on the mad scale. Yeah. I'm glad you asked the question this morning, actually. It's quite a funny place. It's on my mind all the time. So it's been there lurking for quite a while about, okay, now what is that I need?

to do to feel like me yeah yeah yeah that's a big one isn't it yeah yeah do you think you think you think you felt like you enough do you think you of late to know what you want to replicate. No. And that's quite a big deal, isn't it? And that's quite a big deal. Yeah. Because I really only know what feels like me

when I'm in this life where it's fast-paced and work is the backbone. So I really don't know. Yeah. Yeah, that's interesting, isn't it? I mean, it's fascinating, isn't it? Because let's imagine a 16-year-old walks past here and they look at us, they look at you.

And they'll go, oh, yeah, well, she's lived all these years. She's bound to know what she's doing. And often it's just not quite the case. Obviously, you know what you're doing in lots of ways. But as in, like, fundamentally, also searching for a part of yourself that you've gone missing for a while. And we're all kind of doing that. And you can do that anytime, which is kind of beautiful, really.

Yeah. But equally, I would look at that 16-year-old if they were going past now and I'd think, aren't they lucky? They are at the start or they're in school. So they've got the whole structure of learning and they've got whatever. Could you look at yourself like that? In a sense, you know, I can say,

aren't you lucky you've got this almost blank canvas in front of you and maybe even a kind of wider canvas than most because you don't have to make a certain amount of money. In that sense, there is actually potentially more freedom there, maybe. Maybe you've prompted a different way of thinking, yeah. Maybe sat on this bench, maybe it was meant to be. Tell me what the... I'm trying to think.

think of ways to think about finding the core person who you're looking for you know let's go back to 16 then who were you as a 16 year old i mean what were you doing then probably just on my gcc's i was living at home with my irish parents and brother and sister i was having fun with friends yeah and i was a little bit full of fun and mischief yeah when you say mischief what was Oh, just fooling around and joking around. Nothing very terrible, but yeah, wanting a good giggle and laugh. So you're just enjoying life. Yeah. Playing around a bit. Yeah. Nothing was too heavy. No. Other than that, what does bring you joy generally? I think definitely things related to our son, enjoying being part of and hearing about what's happening in his life. And

I have got to say we're very lucky and he lives up the road. I'm certainly. Two miles away, so it's not like it's long distance. So you derive a lot of joy from a child. Just one? Just one, yeah. And also being in the company of our friends and his friends because they're kind of slightly merged with parents and things.

So if I think of a great evening, it is in a bar or pub and there's a big group and some of his friends that we've, known from when they were little and some are our friends because they may be parents of some of them or whatever. I see, yeah. I can see that picture and I've been in that picture only, you know, a week ago, so it's very current. Of course. And that's where the greatest joy would be, I'd say. Yeah. I'm just trying to think of things related to that what you've just said for your future. You've enjoyed looking after someone. Yeah. You've enjoyed nurturing them, I guess. You've enjoyed seeing that development.

Yeah. Do you think that's in you generally? Or is that just like, oh, it's my sons, I've done it, but that doesn't necessarily mean I would do it elsewhere. I think I could do it. I feel that, yeah, because there's such a, you know, the person gets, in this case, my son and you get just something, just something that you can feel.

If you're able to support and help in even the tiniest way, for me, that absolutely is really motivating. Yeah, yeah. Really motivating. Completely. It's so simple really, isn't it? But I always just think, if you can feel useful, you tend to feel better. It is as simple as that, exactly.

I mean, I think it sounds like you need to help some people. Yeah. Right? Yeah. And there's so many people that need help. Yeah. And there's so many places one can volunteer. Exactly.

But on the flip side, maybe it's also my general theory with any kind of stuckness. Sometimes you do need something a bit radical. something you really need to get out of your zones entirely, you know, to kind of start feeling the things. So I don't know exactly what that would be. But maybe it's an adventure of sorts. Maybe. Is any way you like to go on your own, maybe, or wonder about? Or, you know, do you fast walking somewhere? I think going on my own would probably be the adventure. It's not something I've ever done or something I've ever thought to do. So, yeah. I think to have a think. Yeah. I also like the word you use stuckness. Yeah. That's what I feel.

And so the thing I'm really clear on this, I need to act. And it may not be right whatever I do first or second or third. Sure. But actually, the stuckness is the thing. Completely. And the acting is the only thing that moves the needle. Yeah. I mean, you're completely right.

It doesn't matter if it's slightly the wrong thing. Yeah. You're just moving. Exactly. Which I think is the key. What does your husband think of your stuckness? Does he know? He doesn't like it.

That is the... It's a great question to ask. He's not seen it. Of course. Well, and it's not because it manifests greatly, but he senses that... Kind of friction of sort. Well, yeah, and that there's a gap in me.

So he really doesn't... like it because that is that's not his normal what's he telling you to do I mean does he have any big opinion all he's done is he's asked do you want to work again and I've said yeah I want to do something because work you know what is the definition of work and and then he'll go oh yeah well if you want to work again you'll just go out there and do it and you know you'll have no problem and in my head I'm thinking that's just a flippant thought really whereas I'm I'm more do I do something here or wouldn't it be lovely to do something there or whatever anyway but I can't blame him and I don't feel yet ready to involve him because I need some straightening out

or I need some unstuckness I think in your words but also it's it's also completely nothing really to do with him in a way yeah exactly I mean you've done your stuff together you've raised a child you built a house you've done all the things you need to do and now it's you. No, exactly. Other than to draw on him for support if I needed it, but other than that, you're absolutely right. I mean, also, I'm guessing nothing you're going to do is going to radically change his life. You know, I mean, if you go away for a couple of months, he's going to be kind of, you know, completely lost. And what about your son? Does your son know about all this in my own? No. No. I would not lay that on. Really? No. No. That's interesting.

The interesting thing, his now wife, who is just absolutely lovely, and we've loved her from day one. Oh, that's about us. Yeah, before the wedding, actually did say to me, after the wedding, are you going back to work? Because she had an expectation I'd need it. I see. And I think that's because over, you know, the last handful of years, we've got to know her, she's got to know us. Because I was quite shocked when she said that. Why are you shocked?

Well, it was just because she recognised it in me. She saw it, I see. I think it was just more, like, oh, okay, someone's seen it. And not everybody sees that. So it's like, okay, oh. Yeah. Yeah. Tell me about that day.

I was, I was interested with people, you know, you say you liked it from day one. We did. I'm always interested in that first meeting when you meet your child's, I guess then, girlfriend. Yep. Do you remember what that's like? Yeah. I want to say quite a lot of pressure, isn't it? And how you kind of navigate that is quite.

quite intriguing yeah so he he really never brought anybody home or asked us to meet anybody in that capacity before and then there was kind of a dripping of stuff in the weeks before that suggested he'd met this girl and then he just said out at the blue oh it'd be good if you and dad met this girl and why don't we go to you know a favourite bar restaurant not far from here. And so we were really nervous. You know what I mean? It's like, oh my God. It's the first one who'd been happening. Yeah, and you do a bit of Googling and you do a bit of Google.

Of course, I'm sure you do a bit of Googling to try and find a picture or whatever. I love that. Did anything you found out from your Googling that was useful? Well, it was useful. She was a teacher, so there was a photo. Okay, cool. Right? So that was helpful. Yeah. Just to, because interesting, you could say, why not ask your son? and we wanted to be a bit cool about it.

Oh, yeah, of course, that makes sense. We didn't want it to be. No, definitely. Anyway, she was just lovely, and it was just helpful that there were a lot of things in common, a lot of coincidence, you know, and when we got home, my husband said to me, I understand why he likes that girl, and it's been consistent. Did your nerves kind of fairly quickly dissipate at that meeting? nervous throughout? No, I think we were very nervous, you know, and I was doing a lot of fast walking

to get there on time, but they dissipated very quickly. And then the next kind of nervous event afterwards was meeting her parents. Oh, of course. So that's a whole, that's another one. Yeah, that's another one. You don't quite know. So that back. More Googling there. There was more googling the course there was nobody meets anybody it's good to admit it i find you're right i mean everyone everyone will do it it's funny we was not talked about is it you know no one mentions it but of course it is done of course it's the first thing you do yeah yeah no we did i'm going to admit it was done absolutely it's it's the first thought and the first thing you kind of uh moved to and such like and meeting parents is okay it was fine and again there were you know people we had in

common background was similar and football is a big thing in our family, in their family. So you're a big football fan? Well, I kind of trail along. Do you know to me? Oh, but it's big in the family? It's big in the family, yes.

Handed down from grandfather to sons. What are the key... This is the first time I've had charts to ask this question. How does one trail along in a football family sense, even though you're not particularly that interested. What are the top tips of people who need to trail along? This is what I do. I take an interest, but it doesn't fill my head. Yes. And I join in the big events. Yes. If you understand. Got it. Yeah. You know what the player's names are and stuff like that? Oh, I might know one. Probably know. How does player X,

how are they getting on? Yes, exactly. But for me, it's joining in the big events. So that might be going to the playoffs at Wembley which I did do for this team I did how did you get on in the game I thought it was fantastic really honestly the atmosphere and the people and the feeling of oneness well twoness I suppose one each team was fantastic honestly I absolutely enjoyed it

would I go every week no but I absolutely loved it did you find yourself singing any songs in Wembley well only kind of quietly, you know, I was actually more in awe of watching the people because there were kind of such small children to, you know, quite old people and everyone was just there for their team. So you were looking at the fans as much as the game, which I think actually is probably quite a sensible thing to do. I mean, you're surrounded by, there's only 22 players

on the pitch, you're surrounded by a whole swaying to society. But I felt really good. there it was just the atmosphere was so fantastic and it was just amazing did the right team win well what happened was they weren't winning and then they drew and then they were playing really badly so i sat down and all of a sudden there was a flute goal and the right team won and i would not have predicted it what happened to you when the when the so there was the goal went to me i had sat down in the seat they were all standing up because it was so near the end of the match and I'd sat down he literally jumped on me and then it was just amazing afterwards with singing and it was the best chaos you would want to be in what's a lot of having

your husband jump on you he's a big fella so it was very I didn't know what had happened I guess I guess you thought that maybe there was a goal I did I did What drew you to your husband initially? Humour. We were young. We lived locally here and we were just a group of girls going out and he was in a group of girls going out and he was in a group of lads and And we just used to meet up and just have fun and giggle and laugh at things. That was it. Do you remember the first moment of connection you felt to him? When there was a kind of locking in of sort.

I'm not sure an exact moment. It was more about a... It was a bit gradual. A bit oozing, yeah, kind of towards something. Yeah, and back then we were so much younger, you know, kind of... What are we talking about? So when we got married, you know, my husband was 21 and I was, you know, 20. Wow.

But that was almost expected. Yeah. But that's still young. No, it is. But back then it was just so normal. Yeah. So yeah. Do you, I mean this in the best possible way, this question.

The best, I mean the least negative way, in my head at least is what I'm thinking. you know, 23, 21, it obviously is, you know, really young. Yeah. I'm guessing also you, or you got, if you got married then, then you met him. Yeah, before that. Yeah. He was probably 17. So you met him at 19. So you've been together with him since 19. Yeah. Okay. So also that would tell me or anybody, really, there wasn't so much developmental time away from this person.

No, that's right. So in the relation to your current situation, I think that's kind of relevant. It's a really great point, right, because that absolutely is the case. And in the kind of community I grew up in, that was quite normal for everybody. You didn't even live together, so you were kind of with your parents, then you got married, and you're right. No development without that person. Whereas if I look at my son's life to date, very different. You know what I mean? He was at home.

He went to you. He lived with his best friend for five years. A bit of space to find his feet in his own particular way. Yeah, and have different, completely different experiences. And I think that's quite significant that you might not have had that. Yeah. Maybe this is lending itself for the solo adventure. Maybe, maybe that was never done.

Yeah, yeah. How quickly did you have a child, don't interest? No, that took us, we waited a long time for that. How come? We had one child, sadly, who lived four and a half months and then died, so that then kind of shuddered us. He was born prematurely and then he got an infection so his lungs wouldn't develop.

So, you know, that was really difficult. So we were kind of almost 30 and 32 by the time the son came along. So your child who died, that was beforehand? Yeah, yeah, yeah. How did that, you know, just the worst experience to go through a measure. But how was, what did that do to you? Um, so, I mean, we were very lucky because our parents both sides were Hey, the party and, you know, we had such huge support and things and support from friends and things.

I think one of the things it did was show up the difference between me and my husband. So during the process, I was all about the facts, you know, what are the numbers? What is the whatever? And my husband was more philosophical. Oh, he'll be all right. he's going nowhere and those two things really didn't fit together I found what he was saying fickle I was you know leading the numbers and he found that I think abrasive and that was that was one thing we learned we were in totally different yeah yeah in those four and a half

months that was what was there in front of us but what changed in you after with the death? Um... It's a really good point. I don't think I've ever thought about it because I did what I did always, which was get back to fast walking and hard working and therefore just not really reflect on it.

one of the things I became intolerant of people talking about him and if I called a Sunday voice what do you mean about that? You know when somebody's putting all kind of this sadness into the... Oh no. Oh wow, wow.

And I found after he died that I would get that quite a lot and I just found it I just couldn't tolerate it is the you want to be kind of direct I just wanted if there were words to be said let them be said in a normal manner

not with this Sunday voice was my badge yeah yeah yeah so you what you're saying here is why I'm understanding this you're not necessarily really thought about it that much but it's obviously a monumental thing

a monumental exactly yeah so what am I saying why haven't you thought about it I think because it was so monumental the loss was so great and I recognised that it was not just the loss at that moment but the loss of his future and our future so it was almost like because I needed to work you know the easiest thing was just get back to work and and that you know that you just become consumed and suddenly you're on. And then, very lucky then, to have our son, our other son,

and he was totally fit and healthy and such life. But I think it was just, it was so monumental. Yeah. Can I ask, maybe a difficult question, but what was your first son like? It's obviously, you know, four and a half months was not long, but it's still enough to get a sense of someone. I think the issue is that your head gets,

so full of watching these most awful things having to be done to your child and to see them crying not for the regular reasons of hunger or needing to be changed but actually crying because there is pain or discomfort coming from you know just something awful I could look and see I think you would be good looking I think you would be smart but the majority was just looking and thinking you know this is just so desperate just so desperately awful and recognizing there was nobody and no money we could bring to solve it yeah how do you choose how do you choose to now obviously you can't forget that stuff like how often do you talk about him

with your with your other son or with you know or your husband or what happens on his birthday and so nothing dramatic on his on his birthday on the day he died we'll mention it so at my other son's wedding ceremony the mass he was remembered and he He was remembered in the speeches at the reception. We don't do a lot of talking about him. We visit the grave. When my son was young, we made sure that he knew him and he was taken regularly to the grave and all that kind of thing.

But we don't deliberately. My husband might just be out on a night and we might go, oh, you know, it's his birthday next week or something. Yeah, I think it's interesting, you know, when people give you kind of new information than you think about passing, as you said, in relation to that. But, you know, you say you derive so much joy from your son. And obviously it seems so crucial to your happiness. And then when you learn about your son that died,

It adds an extra kind of significance to that, to me at least. And I understand that. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. As someone that's not experienced that, I'm obviously in no place to say anything other than, I do think when things are so seismic that if anything isn't really fully addressed, it always comes back to you, you know, back to you in likely in a negative way. Yep. I think that's right

And I think there's probably There's odd alignments here also with just a general time now Because also you're free to think These are the times when it will come out Because how can that event not be Completely intrinsic to you It's in you I think you're absolutely right

And for decades Work and family has just filled the time You know and then Having the headspace This stuff does come you know well thank you for talking about it thank you so no thank you thank you i've enjoyed the experience and i'll take away my stuckness it's a good word Can I ask a few more questions before I let you go.

What was your son's wedding like? Oh, my God. My husband's word for it is mighty. Mighty, that's fantastic. It was so, it was just so good. It was in Ireland. My husband and I went out a few days early so we could spend time with the bride's family.

And so that was fantastic. And it was just full of lovely people, family, friends, both sides. they look so happy we had a good time and that's why you know kind of we fell into a big low after us it's such a euphoric moment hard to replicate it's just fantastic can you think of a moment during it where you found yourself surprisingly emotional or maybe not the kind of the obvious moment any moment there sounded like something kind of struck you I can and it's just very weird, so not weird, but I feel myself getting emotional, picturing it, which is

a, yeah, so when we were in the church, and obviously the bride came down the aisle and my son took her hand and they're standing there and then they sit down and I can hardly say it And it seems ridiculous to, now I feel ridiculous because, and it was actually looking at the back of his neck. Yeah, made me emotional. And I don't know why. Why was it the back of his neck? I don't know. But it was that moment.

That's beautiful. By the moment I'm now thinking about what that might mean. It's got to mean something, because obviously it's triggered something in you. Yeah. Do you think it's like a kind of almost he's looking away, he's facing away from you?

Maybe. And into a new future. Yeah. with his partner and is forging his own path. Yeah, could be. In the same way you would have done when you got married here and there's a kind of separation there isn't there? I don't know.

And it could be. It's a great point to make. Yeah, no, no, no, I can get that. But it's fascinating. I mean, it was such a wonderful image. It was startling to me, but that image... And it surprised you at the time. It surprised me at the time

because there were so many other images going on before the bride arrived and as the bride, arrived and then it was that one moment it was sort of yeah maybe there's something also in you know in a wedding you're kind of surrounded by paraphernalia you know flowers everyone's dressed like this everyone's got stuff in their hair people got hats on you know it's all like you know very stuff based and what you saw then i'm guessing it's just skin the purity of just the back of the head and and the you know and obviously his hair going up you you honed in on something thing as a mother you've always seen you know like it you would have seen the back of that

head thousands of thousands of times in different ways in different ways and you would have trained your eye to know it so well that it stood out in that moment amongst all the other stuff going on yeah that could be something as well could could be or they speculating about the back of the neck really it's really interesting yeah yeah I was going to ask you really flippantly, obviously there's been a sports day happening in front of us. We've actually seen it off.

Yeah. Do you recall any of your school sports day? I do. I do. Egan spoon race, definitely. Absolutely. Were you good at it? I was not bad.

Yeah, I could run a bit. and I was very, very competitive. Although it's not perfect for your fast walking. Not perfect for my fast walking. Not the ideal thing to have to carry as a fast walker. I mean, sports day was always fantastic, wasn't it? Yeah. Make you think.

Well, they only seem to have a lot of fun in front of us. Yeah. And a lovely crowd here as well. Yeah, it was lovely. Yeah. It's funny to think it's accompanying us this entire time. Exactly. I just had a thought, maybe on your adventure,

maybe you could do some kind of fast walking based thing. Maybe I could. Fast walk across Ireland. Yeah. Do it for charity or something? for charity or something. So it gives it a purpose at the same time as you having a chance to be on your own a bit and meet people along the way and think about your life.

I was like the idea of what people mentioned at the start being somehow significant. So maybe there's something in that. There is. Last question. You can either answer this in a today kind of way or a wider sense. What are you going to do next? I'm going to go away and have a think. And I'm going to take some action.

You've been helpful, actually. I know it was pure accident, but I'm going to take away the stuckness. And I feel like I'm going to take some action. And I don't know what that is. And stop avoiding it, because it's not actually making anything better. Yeah.

Thank you. I've enjoyed it. Thank you. Yeah. And whatever this action is that you take, I just wish you very best with it. Thank you very much. I think you're right.

It doesn't matter what it is. It doesn't. It doesn't. It's something. Yeah. She watched him holding hands, saying bows, sat on the ground, she watched her back her back of his, she watched her back of his. neck a whole life in that inch of skin a younger son who's on a journey an only child but not really and now she can hear that island is calling to her

She says, come home, come quickly. Oh, island's got something in store for her. She says, come home, come quickly, come home, come quickly, come home, come home to me. She was there chaperone. The boy's in some safety. Now where will she go? I guess the beauty is in the unknown. She sets off alone, but not alone.

Gotta trust your own journey. journey got to walk and walk quickly and now she can hear that island is calling out to her she says come home come quickly oh oh island's got something in store for her She says come home, come quickly, come home, oh quickly. Come home, come home to me. I don't know.