by Tom Casling

Synopsis

Today is Sid’s 50^th Birthday and he is, rather belatedly, having a mid-life crisis. If the truth be known he has been having one for the last few years but reaching the age of fifty has made the experience more marked.

His wife, Mary, recognises this and has, for some time, been trying to re-capture the magic of their relationship and the things that had attracted them to each other many years ago. Their children have grown up now and moved away and Mary, believes it is now time to address the issue.

Mary decides to take Sid for a day out to celebrate his birthday. Sid, not unwisely, believes that the day will follow the same pattern as previous birthdays namely: breakfast in bed, presents of a book or CD, perhaps a new shirt and tie, followed by a meal and a trip to the theatre.

The highlight to his birthday, however, will be the day off work and a limited amount of disruptions on his mobile telephone. Mary has other ideas though. She plans to take Sid on a day out to a Tourist Attraction close to his hometown in Middlesbrough. She hopes this will re-awaken in Sid some of the old memories and passion that had initially attracted her to him and which she believes made him the man he was.

Characters