My partner urges me to write about him in the blog: ‘All my travels Juba Nairobi Colombo Delhi Beijing etc’ he tells me via WhatsApp, from his hotel room in Johannesburg. I will I will, but what to call him? ‘Husband’ suggests something too old fashioned. ‘Partner’ is flat. ‘Annoying git’ should be reserved for very rare occasions. How to stereotype the man in a single term? Monikers of the past come to mind: Rumpole’s ‘She who must be obeyed’ and Dulcie Domum’s ‘Spouse’. ‘Toryboy’ delivers every time because you just can’t believe the great Lucy Mangan has married a tory. Various options present themselves with my own dear spouse. Defining attributes: hairy – Hirsute? Loves to read flight timetables and plane specifications – Anorak? Works with non governmental organisations (NGOs) which give their staff ludicrous job titles like Head of Egypt – er, thought that was Morsi? – Head of Americas, Global Finance Manager, Director of Global Transitions – what? etc. Once, when he was called Country Field Manager, we had hours of fun calling him the Field Marshall and saluting him. But there is something about the way he keeps hopping on a plane and popping up on the other side of the world which is defining. The double life, not exotic exactly but evidently deeply satisfying – slewing off domestic chores and heading for the airport, the bulging passport, frequent flyer privileges… then I have it, he’s a Rocket Man. Another man they think I am at home oh no no no… Damn, I’m not going to be able to stop humming that tune now.
