(1976 with Tracey and monkeys)

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Carol and the children had been in Gibraltar for I guess about six weeks when one Saturday morning Tracey asked “Daddy can we go to see the monkeys now please?” 

(My photo May 2016)

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I was shocked, outraged and speechless but not at Tracey. At myself. After all the things she had coped with over the past months the only thing she had wanted was for me to take her to see the monkeys – and I’d forgotten! Without saying a word my little three year old had sensed I had been busy with other things so had waited and trusted that I would eventually plan it and that one day I would say to her that today was the day. But I hadn’t (because I had forgotten) and so she had had to come to me and ask. I felt totally dreadful. 

(My photo May 2016)

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Lifting her onto my knee and giving her a massive hug I said to her “Yes sweetheart, today is the day we can go to see the monkeys”. After watching our conversation Carol (thinking quickly on her feet) said “Come on then. Let’s choose our frocks and get ready for our day out then you can help Mummy to get Sammie and the bags ready” to which Tracey bounced off my knee with an excited smile on her face. That one short conversation I had with my child taught me more about parenting than anything else since, even though (ironically) I deliver parenting courses as part of my work role today. The idea I wasn’t in tune with my child really hurt me inside and I vowed not to let that happen again.

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The wild Barbary macaques of Gibraltar are the monkeys Tracey was talking about; they are world famous and thought to be the biggest tourist attraction of the Rock. Wikipedia will tell readers that there are 5 separate troops of apes on the Rock numbering 300 individuals although on my recent visit (May 2016) the Ranger said there were 6 troops numbering an estimated 250. Whatever the correct figure is isn’t really relevant within this memoir so much as the fact that if you don’t visit the apes on a trip to Gibraltar – you have ‘not’ been to Gibraltar, such is their relevance. Legend has it that if the apes ever leave the Rock it will cease to be British.

(Love the way Sammies foot sticks out from the papoose on my shoulder X )

(My lovely little daughter with ‘her’ monkey)

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In the cable car on the way up to the apes den Tracey was so excited – and we were even more excited for her. The minute we stepped off the cable car her eyes were all over the place like lighthouse beacons as they searched for the monkeys and it wasn’t long before she found them. Bless her. To see the wonder in her eyes on that day remains one of my favourite memories – and also one of hers 🙂 

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I loved how she literally kneeled down to get a closer look at the monkeys, she’d heard so much about them there was almost this need in her to get as close as possible to check out the information she had in her head. What was even more amazing was how the monkeys related back to her; most of them were bigger than her and (since they are wild animals) could easily have hurt her but the opposite happened. The monkeys seemed to warm to her and be aware of her vulnerability. I swear if I had left her there they would have looked after her and raised her. She totally loved her day and I totally loved that she loved her day