I have always enjoyed the sound of Welsh male voices … the male voice choirs are excellent, and of the many soloists one in particular stands out like no other … Sir Thomas Jones Woodward. Tom Jones’ voice has a quality that has made him universally admired and loved in the world of music.
In a recent program, I played one of his songs, A Minute of Your Time. As I was preparing the program, I happened to look up and see a photo of one of my much loved feline mates, a tortoiseshell whose name was Phoenix, and suddenly the words, a minute of your time, took on a new meaning.
Some forty years ago I took a load of rubbish to the local dump, and as I unloaded it from the trailer I noticed that someone had lit a fire among some cartons, even though this was prohibited. Just then I heard a faint meowing which seemed to be coming from a small carton near the fire.
A closer look revealed a very small tortie kitten, not at all happy with its situation. Fortunately she was uninjured apart from minor singeing and had not sustained any severe injury. Having risen from the ashes so to speak, we named her Phoenix, and she was a much loved family member for about 18 years.
The difference between a long and happy life and a ghastly cruel death came down more or less to a minute of time.
Phoenix fitted in very well with the rest of the family, and can be seen and felt in my heart forever.
It would only take a minute of your time
To spare one thought for me
Would you miss just one minute of your time?
When you are far away
I'd like to be part of your time each day
So think of me
A minute of your time
Is all it takes to bring us close
When we are far apart
And if I'm on your mind
I know that there's a chance
You'll find that I'm there in your heart
One minute ev'ry day
May help to keep the wolf away
Until that moment you are back to stay
But better still I'd like to think of me
Ev'ry minute of your time
