George Palmer - John 1966

father/son

Every family has its storytellers—the keepers of memories that might otherwise slip away. In this conversation, recorded on the sun-drenched Mediterranean coast of Spain, I spoke with my brother-in-law who, John, without even realising it, had found himself living out his father George’s dream.

Early on, a quiet revelation set the tone: “I just found out from my sister that I’m probably living his dream.” From there, the conversation unfolded gently, full of memories—family holidays to Cornwall where his dad hand-sewed wetsuits, an old air raid shelter reimagined as a music-filled bedroom, and the comfort his father George, found in the sound of a distant motorway, which reminded him of the sea.

A vivid portrait emerged of a man driven by creativity and curiosity. He once hang-glided off cliffs, built tennis ball machines before they were mainstream, developed photos in makeshift darkrooms, and turned everyday materials into tools of adventure. Through his son’s John’s recollections, we glimpsed a spirit who valued ingenuity as much as imagination—and passed down a musical legacy stretching from Johnny Cash to alternative country.

What would he make of smartphones and AI? John & I both believed he’d have embraced the possibilities, while staying true to his love for authentic sounds and hands-on crafting. That reflection led to a quietly profound moment: “The sad thing about life is that when people are no longer there, everything they ever thought or believed disappears too.”

And yet, by sharing stories like these, something vital is kept alive—not just memory, but meaning. As I sat there listening, I couldn’t help but wonder: what stories of your loved ones deserve to be remembered?

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