Fish and Chips
Darby and Joan have been coming to the seaside for as long as anyone can remember. They always sit on the same bench, facing the waves, sharing a bag of fish and chips. Jerry waits patiently for any bits that “accidentally” fall his way.
Sea air, warm chips, and the comfort of being beside someone who knows all your stories - but still loves to hear them again. Joan always brings her bright red hat, pinned carefully so it doesn’t blow away in the wind, and Darby insists on wearing his cap even though his never stays on for long. Jerry, of course, is convinced the whole outing has been arranged purely for his benefit.
It’s the kind of moment I love to draw: simple, joyful, full of character. A reminder that the small things - a walk, a view, a shared chippy tea - can be some of the best moments of our lives.
Darby and Joan take their names from a song my nan loved - “The Folks Who Live on the Hill” by Jerome Kern. She adored his music, and there’s something about that song’s picture of two people growing old together that has always stayed with me. It felt only right that these two seaside wanderers carried a little of that sentiment with them.