Friends, and then Some

This is an account of Jim’s and my history together as recorded in January of 2004 whilst I was a missionary. 

The Story of Mr and Mrs James Stancombe 

(through my eyes)

Jim was really in to basketball and had actually played with Sam Pawson (who I grew up with in the church) since they were about five years of age.  I began frequenting the Elphin Sports Centre to watch Jim play.  Clearly he was the yummiest baller in the league.

As the weeks went on Jim and I began spending a fair bit of time together outside of work.  In fact, I was still in pathology and Jim had started back at school.  I would often see Jimmy come into pathology during the day to see his dad.  It was much later that I learned it was an excuse to come in and see me.

I was still spending a bit of time with friends on the east coast, but Jim and I had become really good friends.  I had finished up at the LGH for the time being and landed a job in a private doctor’s surgery on High Street.  It’s amazing how the Lord has taken care of me with employment.  If I didn’t spend that time in pathology, I probably would never have been considered for the medical reception position at Tremaur Medical Centre.

When school holidays came around for Jimmy, he would work at the hospital doing the blood run for pathology.  He would go to various surgeries in Launceston, Riverside, Perth and Longford to collect samples to bring back to the Labs.  Often on his run he would drop into Tremaur Medical to say hi to me.

I worked from 1pm – 7pm on weekdays at the Medical Centre.  The hours were not ideal and the pay was terrible.  It gave me the experience I needed to go on to better things later though. 

I would spend many mornings at Jimmy’s house before heading to work.  Jimmy took sick whilst I was working at the surgery. To this day the both of us have no idea how I never caught his sickness.  He had Glandular Fever which is affectionately known as ‘The Kissing Disease’.  I remember our first kiss well.  The Stancombe home was in Newstead, just before Hobblers Bridge on Pine Avenue.  It was an old home built way back when and I believe it was once a farm titled ‘Elphin Farm’.  I imagine a lot of Newstead grew up around Elphin Farm and some of the other old neighbouring homes in that area.  The home had an old wooden porch with a front door and another door to the right of the house in which you could enter directly into Jim’s bedroom.

That door right there is where the young Krissy Reeve
first kissed the handsome Jimmy Stancombe

My niece Chelsea and I were visiting Jim.  It would have had to have been around 8pm.  Jim being the first year university student that he was, was busy at the computer doing an assignment.  He had taken a brief recess to visit with us for a moment.

As Chelsea and I were leaving his porch I mentioned to her of my desire to kiss Jim.  Well, would you know it, that little darling ran back to the doorstep to tell him.  It was a very unusual situation. I’ve never been backward in coming forward regarding matters of the heart but for some reason, with this young man I was quite timid.   Jim beckoned for my return and our first kiss took place.   I always thought that the first kiss had to be just perfect, that for a moment the earth would stop spinning on its axis and that stars and planets would leap from the sky.  THIS kiss did none of those things but I was confident that with a bit of practice we would some day have it down to a fine art.

To be continued.....