Brian made his wife an anniversary crossword about their life together.
He got the restaurant, their first holiday and their old dog’s name wrong.
The last clue asked for an eight-letter word describing her husband. Brian had put ROMANTIC on the answer sheet.
His wife picked up an eraser….
Brian decided flowers were too ordinary for their anniversary. He would make Carol something nobody else could buy.
Their daughter, Amy, suggested a crossword about their life together.
You supply the clues and answers, she said. The computer does the grid.
Brian liked that. It sounded personal without requiring glue.
He started with the place where they had their first date.
The Red Lion, he told Amy.
Are you sure?
Of course. I remember the sign.
Amy entered it.
For their first holiday, he supplied France. For their first dog, he supplied Buster. Then he spent twenty minutes choosing the title and a heart-shaped border.
Amy asked whether he wanted to check the answers.
That’s what the answer sheet is for.
On the morning of their anniversary, Brian placed the crossword beside Carol’s breakfast. He had sharpened a pencil and tied a ribbon round it.
Carol smiled.
That’s lovely. You made this?
All my own memories, Brian said.
She began with the restaurant. After a moment, she counted the squares again.
We didn’t have our first date at the Red Lion.
Brian said he distinctly remembered a lion over the door.
That was the pub where you watched football with my brother. You took me to the Italian place opposite.
It was the same evening, he said.
Not for me. I waited forty minutes.
Carol moved to the holiday clue.
We went to Spain.
We definitely went to France.
Yes. Six years later. With a school coach full of children.
Brian said there had been a lot of travel to remember.
Carol read the clue about their first dog.
We never had a dog called Buster.
I can see him now. Black ears. Always stealing socks.
My brother’s dog.
Brian thought for a moment.
We looked after him for a fortnight.
And called him Buster for a fortnight. Our dog was Molly.
Carol put down the pencil. Brian reached for the answer sheet, hoping it might explain things better.
She held out her hand.
He gave it to her.
The last clue asked for an eight-letter word describing the man she had married.
Brian had written ROMANTIC very neatly. He had checked that one twice.
Carol took the eraser from the end of her pencil.
That one needs changing too, she said.
Brian reminded her that it had to be eight letters.
Carol counted as she wrote.
AMNESIAC.
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