farewell no.6

When I headed down to London Street today in the rain and wind the wrecking ball was poised,waiting for No. 6.

As I watched I was amazed to see the 'life' still in No 6 - the wires dangling, the light 

fixtures still up and intact, and the door banging in the wind. 

The digger driver seemed to want to be so careful as he plied his wares - or so it 
seemed to me. 

I felt sorry for him and the job he was there to do today.

I will miss that building, especially the café of which it bears the name. 
It was in the Café in 2004 that I realized that Lyttelton was the place for my family. 
I had looked around Christchurch for several years and never felt like I found the place
I wanted to call home. 
And then some mid-morning on some mid-week day, I was sitting in No. 6 and saw a 
friend crossing the street. She saw me so she came in and ordered a coffee. A few 
minutes later we saw her husband and another friend both walking down the footpath 
and we waved to them and they too came in and ordered coffee. Then my husband 
(knowing I would be in there having a coffee) also came in.
I looked around the cafe and almost everyone I knew from Lyttelton was in the café 
having coffee together in the middle of the day in the middle of the 'work week'. 
I realized at that moment that the 'home' I was looking for was right in front of me.

                                  

We all have such different ways of processing what is happening in our community. 
I feel as though I really want to mark and honour this as a rite of passage.

I want to see at least a portion of the buildings coming down so I can witness this 
moment in the history of our town.


by Sarah van der Burch