A Christmas Story (or Kindness in the Time of Covid)

 The story starts in Jan 2020. I was sitting in the basement of the Fraser Valley Cancer Clinic on a dark and wet night, waiting for my radiation appointment. I had been driving myself to and from my treatments, so as I sat in that quiet corner, wearing two blue gowns, I scrolled through Twitter on my phone to pass time. 

I stumbled upon a new account, called Louise Does Loxley, which was delightful. "Louise" was watching the 2006 BBC version of Robin Hood, one episode per evening, and live tweeting her impressions, thoughts, feelings, criticisms as she viewed each show. She was 3 episodes in and she was so funny. Witty. Entertaining. Sarcastic. Appreciative. 

She had me hooked. She was 8 time zones ahead of me, so by the time I checked her account in the evening, her tweets had been sitting there all day, online, just waiting for me to enjoy. After a couple days, I introduced myself to her; told her my situation and she responded with compassion and a commitment to provide me with something to read every evening while I was undergoing treatment. 

For thirty days in January, and then even after my radiation appointments were done, I continued my evening routine of reading her tweets, because they were so much fun and now a normal part of my life. Near the end of February she asked me for my mailing address and she sent me a limited edition, collectible, numbered Robin Hood wrist band. 

It was at this point that I started asking her about HER. And I found out about her own personal health challenges as well as all the deaths in her family over the previous year, including her mom, a cousin, her best friend (and her cat); plus her brother had a massive stroke.

And then Covid happened, and both our worlds changed. We kept in touch via Twitter and greeting cards as you do. She was in chronic pain, unable to work, living with her sister, and trying to care for her ailing dad. I, on the other hand, was back at work, cancer-free and healthy.

I didn't hear from Heather much during the Fall. But when I did, in mid-November, things were not well in her life. Her dad's health was deteriorating, her sister was failing, she was broken-hearted, and her body was in constant pain. She was under the care of emergency local mental health professionals, as she just was not in a good place to look after herself. 

Besides praying, I wanted to do something else for her. And I was reminded of her joy back in January, when she was watching the 39 episodes of Robin Hood.

So.

So I thought I'd contact each of the main actors and ask them to send her a card. 

You totally read that right. Cheeky as hell, yes? 

I sent each of them a letter and included photos and a card in an envelope addressed to Heather: 

Hi Jonas, Lucy, Joe, Keith, Gordon, Sam, Richard, Anjali and Harry …

January in Canada is cold and cruel. (The same is likely true for England.) And having (breast) cancer treatments during that miserable month makes it especially crappy.

The highlight of January 2020 was discovering the LOUISE DOES LOCKSLEY twitter account while sitting in the waiting room of the cancer clinic’s radiation department. “Louise” had just stumbled upon your Robin Hood and love, LOVE, L.O.V.E.D it. As she watched an episode each evening, she’d live tweet her thoughts, observations, and feelings with razor sharp wit and wonderfully appropriate (or not) GIFs. I was entertained by her delightful commentary from eight time zones away.

After a few days, I sent her a private message introducing myself/my situation, and an unlikely but friendly relationship formed. She was committed to continuing her daily viewing/tweeting for me, a stranger, 5,000 miles away.

Eventually I finished my treatments and she completed her 39-episode marathon. And then Covid hit.

I’m doing fine; cancer-free, working, healthy and safe but my English Twitter friend is having a horrible time of it. There have been deaths in her family, on-going illnesses, chronic health challenges, unemployment, etc. She is struggling both physically and mentally.

The greatest moments of joy she’s experienced this year was when she was watching y’all frolicking in the forest and canoodling in the castle.

I’d love to surprise her with cards from the cast of The Show That Made Her Smile.

I’ve printed off some photos, attached them to cards, put them in envelopes that have been addressed and stamped. Really hoping you have time to add your signatures and a friendly “hi”. I know this won’t change her circumstances, but maybe it’ll provide a ray of light into her dark place.

Thank you for being actors. What you do is important, especially during times of uncertainty and unrest. Robin Hood, in particular, seems to be one of the shows that’s like comfort food for the soul in a world gone bat-shit crazy. Praying that y’all will be working again soon.

Take care, be safe, much love,   

J                                                                                       

(I included a $6 Starbucks card to thank them for their time. 

Funnily enough, at the time, my local Starbucks was out of Thank You gift cards, so I included Happy Birthday gift cards as well as a post-it note explaining why I was sending them Happy Birthday cards.) 

On December 19, I got a Facebook message from Jonas Armstrong, the lead actor in the series, Robin Hood, himself:

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Let him know what I think??

(Well I thought it was just The Best idea ever in The History of Good Ideas.)

Heather got in touch with me on December 20 to let me know, sadly, both she and her dad had contracted Covid. And a few days later, on Christmas Eve morning, he had been rushed to the hospital. 

Later that same day, on December 24, (1:30 pm, my time in Canada - 9:30 pm in England) I received an email from Heather:

The rest of the story, from Heather:

Honestly at first I didn't believe it at all. He was like "Hi Heather it's Jonas Armstrong" and I was like "....oh really? Hey how's it going?" and inside I was like "Okay this is a weird prank" and he was like "I got your number from your friend Jane in Canada, she tells me you're a huge fan of a show I did, Robin Hood" and inside I was like "oh well....I know she definitely has my number so I suppose this is giving the prank some credence but...." and then he was like "she tells me you've had a really traumatic year so what with it being Christmas I thought I'd give you a bell and see how you're doing!" and then the more he was talking the more I recognised his voice (because he has a very generic central/north Lancashire accent so it could feasibly have been anyone round where I live) and eventually it clicked and I was like "waitaminute....you're REALLY Jonas Armstrong?!?" and he was like "Yeah really!" and I was like "oh my god wow. Well thank you so much it's so kind of you to think of me."

I told him I'd only just discovered Robin Hood at the start of the year but because of the bad things that had happened during the year I really found that it gave me a lot of hope and comfort and kept me going through the worst bits so I thanked him very much for the show and he said "oh hey wow no thank you, like you say the Robin Hood legend is all about hope and if after all this time it's bringing that to you then it's my pleasure, it's absolutely why we do it" and I was like literally trying not to tear up at this point cos like WHAT A LOVELY THING TO SAY.

Then he said that he's going to his mum and dad's tomorrow for Christmas dinner and his Robin Hood stuff is there **AND THEN THE PHONE DIPPED OUT** so I dunno what the hell he said but it came back in to him saying "I'll get your address off Jane and send it your way. Do you think that's something you'd like?" and honestly he could have said anything but I was like "omg that is SO SO kind of you to even think of me thank you so much" and he said "not at all it's my pleasure" and then he said he was going to help wrap the last of the Christmas presents and he hoped my dad would soon be better and out of hospital, and told me to look after myself and that was pretty much it.

So I started watching the first episode of Robin Hood again and like. I'm LITERALLY looking at him and it is NOT COMPUTING.

Because obviously. 9pm on Christmas Eve, the phone goes and it's a private number, who else is it going to be but THE LEAD ACTOR IN ONE OF MY FAVOURITE EVER SHOWS. 

I'm literally never gonna be over it. Never. 

WHAT a lovely man. Just so normal and down to earth and sweet.

I could hardly wait to tell my dad. I knew he'd be so chuffed cos he watched Robin Hood at the time, and he loved it, and he also loved watching Jonas in The Bay - so he's quite the old fanboy!! 

 

When I visited my dad in the hospital and told him about Jonas calling, and that he'd asked after Dad and sent well wishes and hopes he's home soon - my 85 year old dad PROPERLY giggled like a fanboy and was like "WOW'S 'ECK!!!! Robin Hood wants me to get better!!! If I've got him in my corner I'll be home in no time! Ah, I love him! What a good lad!" He was SO SO excited!!!! So Jonas didn't just make my year but my dad's as well!!🥰🥰🥰  So so grateful.

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That phone call was one year ago today.

Heather's dad passed away a few weeks later. Heather shares, "I swear that one phonecall got me through the following month cos I was like "Robin Hood wants Dad to get better so Dad best get better" so it really kept everyone's spirits up. I mean obviously we couldn't accommodate his wishes, if only we could've. But Jonas made a dying man VERY happy and I will ALWAYS be grateful for that"

Honestly I'm STILL not over it!!! Can't believe what a lovely lovely person he is. Just such a normal Northern Lad. So much respect for that.  

Thank you, Jonas Armstrong, for being a lovely Lancashire lad. Your kindness in the time of Covid will always be remembered by Louise the Loxley lass (Heather). And me. xo

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Heather and her good pal Adam are the delightful, engaging hosts of RetroTube, a podcast where they talk, passionately/humorously about their favorite TV shows from 1960's to 1980's. 

You can (and should!) listen to them here. And follow them on Twitter here. 

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Jonas Armstrong's next project is a feature film, Three Day Millionaire, a raucous black comedy about a gang of young Grimsby Trawler-men who carry out a heist on the company headquarters ... 

Merry Christmas friends; hoping you're surrounded with the people you love the most. xo