Anecdotes

Sorry this has taken so long to write I have kept meaning to but havent been able to find the right words. One of my favourite memories of Victoria is the time we went down to London together a few years ago for a reunion with some friends we had made on a drama course in Cambridge. (Gosh it seems like a long time ago!) I really cant remember why, but for some reason we took the coach there, and being National Express, the journey took ages. Im so glad it did though, as we honestly didnt stop giggling the entire time. We just plonked ourselves down at the back of the coach and managed to find every little thing absolutely hysterical (Pic-a-dilly, any dilly). I remember her making sure that home was kept informed of the latest important news (Mum, weve just passed a tractor). One of her favourite photographs from the drama course was one she showed me a couple of years later, as the person who was steering the punt on the river turned out to be Big Broth ers Spencer, before he was, er, famous. Any mention of the musical Fame makes me think of Torti, after her own particular rendition of it, which Im pleased to say I still have on tape!

Every other memory I have whether its seeing her smiling in shul or giggling at a friends house or bumping into a happy, slightly drunk Torti in a club in Manchester all contain the same thing: laughter. This ever-present quality, and her gift of being able to pass it infectiously onto others made Torti truly the special person she was. She will never be forgotten.

All my love, Richard Verber xxxxx

Well its taken me a long time to decide what to write about on this website. For two main reasons. Firstly because I didnt know what I could write that would make people feel any better or show how much Vix meant to me. Secondly because I am terrible at English and I therefore avoid writing at all costs!

However when this new section came up on the site I thought okay now I have to write something because my main memories of Torti are of her laughing, and the fact that she always made me and everyone else laugh as well intentionally or unintentionally ( which was most of the time!)

Something as small as how she said the word sweetcorn always made me giggle which she always found amusing and so she would keep saying it ( dont ask me to do impressions Im not very good!!)

Another incident I remember of Torti was when all of our housemates were in London. We were going to a party in town and Torti needed to get some money out of a cash point , well I think she meant to hit 20 pounds but she probably got side tracked and pressed the 200 pound button!!!! It would have been ok if it was during the day, but no it was 10 at night all the banks were closed and the next day was Sunday so Vix had to carry round 200 pounds with her for the entire weekend, so funny!! We offered to look after some of the money for her but she said its ok !!! I cant imagine why she said no!!

Another part of Torti I loved was her gullibility (dont know if thats a real word but I did warn u I am terrible at English. One occasion which comes to mind is the Daniel Hersherson event! For those who dont know Daniel Hershersons are the most amazing hair straighteners. Well a load of us went out for dinner and we were talking about the straighteners. The next thing I know Vix asks who is Daniel Hersherson, so me being me and not being able to give a straight answer said he was my personal hairdresser who came to Henry Price ( our Halls of residence) exclusively. Torti being Torti believed us and asked if he would come to do her hair as well, so we said he will only do Henry Price girls hair but we will ask him if he would do her hair if she comes to Henry Price!! Well this joke went on for the entire evening, so by the end of dinner we had to tell her the truth, her face was such a picture! It was sooo funny we still laugh about it now!

Another unforgettable Torti moment was in our old house. Two things to mention the bulbs always went in our house, so at night the hall way was always dark ( but not pitch black just for the record!!). Secondly it was very unusual for doors to be shut in our house. Well one night for some reason the lounge door was shut! Well this was not apparent to Torti as she proceeded to walk straight in to the door thinking that the lounge light was not on!! The bang was quite loud and the next thing we hear is Torti laughing her head off as she came running down to my room to let us know what the loud noise was!!!! Oh yeah and there were some people in the lounge at the time who were quite confused when they heard a huge bang and an OW!!!!!!!!!!

I apologize if none of this made any sense but its 3am!!

I want to send my love to all the family especially Susan, Bryan, Kerry and Abbie. You raised an amazing person who has and will affect my life forever. I miss her more than words can describe. I hope these stupid stories put a smile on all your faces as they have done for me. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Rachel Nagus

It has taken me along time to actually atempt to come up with words and memories of Torti for a couple of reasons; one being because we all go back such a long way I don't know where to start and two the fact that there are so many happy ones has meant that I've had to be extremely selective.

The following will only mean something to a select few so I'll just give you some words to trigger off those happy memories... Silverdale, aeroplanes, video camera, Rudding Park, play grounds, bike rides, sing-songs, tuna mayonaise sandwiches, chips, uncle graham....Those are just a few and I 'm sure they mean something to particular individuals!

On a serious note though I'd like to express my sadness at the loss of quite possibly one of the happiest people I've ever met. Even being aware of Torti's illness it became easy to forget that she was ever suffering. I can honestly say that during all the years of knowing her (20 years!)I can not recall a time when she did not have a smile on her face. Thank you Auntie Sue and Uncle Bryan for giving my family and I the chance to have our lifes touched by a beautiful, caring, happy, bubbily and overall amazing daughter. She will be sorely missed and affectionately remembered always.

Ali Roth

I know from speaking to people over the last month that so much pain has been eased slightly by the re-telling of many of Torti's antics.There have been so many stories shared which enabled laughter through the tears.I know that many of my friends have felt the benefit of this website,being able to share thoughts and feelings with others and i feel that this section is a great addition to enable us to share how Victoria managed to brighten up our lives with her actions and the joy and laughter that they caused.I have many memories which i could share from our times at King David especially during sixth form but one of my most favourite memories is one which happened most recently.I dont remember exactly when it was but our friends had never all been in one place at one time for quite a while so we were all meeting up for a coffee and catch up.Victoria had not previously mentioned to me that she was applying to do voluntary work at Heathlands (to those who don't kn ow Heathlands is an elderly jewish residential nursing home in Manchester)I was sat down when suddenly Torti with joy in her voice shouted out to me "Tarryn Tarryn..i've got into Heathlands" i was very shocked and my mouth dropped i couldnt understand why she had got into Heathlands.It was after all an elderly persons nursing home.The look of shock on my face prompted her to tell me that what she really meant was that she had got into Heathlands to do voluntary work.Once this was established i got over the shock and i was able to share her excitement.I just remember all of us laughing so much.To this day it brings a smile to my face.It is only one of numerous Torti incidents which caused so much side splitting laughter.I hope that we will all be able to keep recalling these memories that caused so many of us to smile.

Tarryn Balkind

Entry from Torti's US Holiday Diary.

Monday 16^th July (2001)

We got up at 8 a.m. intending to leave (Travelodge) at 9 as we had to be at airport by 10 to get 12.00 plane.

We weren’t too late to start with. We left about 9.15, got there (Heathrow) by 9.30 ish but Dad had to give back the loan car, so in the meantime Mum & I went to check in with luggage.

We were told that we were not able to until Dad was there too, unless we would travel without him. We therefore waited for Dad. It took ages to check in. We got held up at check-in desk as there were things to sort out with the oxygen etc. We left the desk soon after 11.30 and our plane was leaving at 12.00 p.m. We then had to go through security and that took longer than normally as we were questioned about drugs.

By l1.55 we left there and running through airport like idiots. Dad’s tagging along and our plane is about to leave, and we are still miles away. Dad wants to buy whisky for Uncle Wayne. At precisely this point I realised Dad really is as stupid as he looks. Mum and I just turned round and yelled NO!!

Eventually after much fun we got to our gate at about 12.15. We were delightfully greeted with “Where have your been?” by a blond bimbo with a mouth bigger than the rest of her body. The plane fortunately hadn’t taken off yet, as a kid had been sick so they were delayed. If it wasn’t for the kid we’d still be in Manchester (London). They gave us such a mouthful and wouldn’t accept the fact that we had been held up at check-in desk because of oxygen.

They had taken off all of our luggage and oxygen. They were less than happy with us. We were really SO lucky though. When we got on the plane, the flight attendants were really lovely to us and the flight was very good.

Once in NYC we took our first yellow taxi to the Radisson Hotel. They had given us a tiny room in which we had to put all our luggage and an extra bed and a fridge. It was impossible, and the plaster was coming off the walls. We complained a few times.

We then went over the next street or two checking other hotels and we went into a café to buy a drink. We put our drinks on the counter and my dearest clever mother left all of our money at the hotel. So we left there rather in a hurry.

Eventually we found a lovely hotel we were going to change to. On our mission of changing hotels, Dad got stuck in a lift for about 20 minutes – Mum and I didn’t notice he was missing – oops. We changed into a hotel which was 2 doors away from previous one, and like true tourists or should I say idiots we pulled all of our suitcases down the street.

Just to rewind a little, when we came through on way to get baggage in NYC we went through x-ray with our luggage so the guards asked what was in a bag and Mum opens her huge mouth and shouts out “drugs”!! We nearly got arrested. Anyway we explained it was my medication. Was rather funny.

Anyway getting back to where I was. Once we had settled into the hotel we went to Times Square. All I can say is WOW! New York is how it is in the films with honking horns and lunatic drivers. Anyway to say the least we had a rather exciting first day.

Good Night. xxx