Another Little Encounters Post.

I was talking to a woman in Ashbourne today. I felt that my face mask was making communication difficult, so I stood a little further away and removed it. She removed hers, too. I realised later that, at my age, that’s as close as I’m ever going to get to intimacy.

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Today I saw:

The local barn owl briefly at twilight, and a pair of willow warblers scratting about for food on the kitchen roof. I haven’t seen the barn owl since last winter, nor the willow warblers for several years.

An old dog standing outside a butcher’s shop, looking eagerly through the open door and wagging his tail. I asked him whether it smelt good in there, but he declined to acknowledge my presence.

Two young girls standing behind me waiting to go into Sainsbury’s. I was busy sanitizing my hands at the time, so I stood aside and said ‘there you go, ladies.’ They both giggled and walked past me. I love moments like that.

A big, burly tyre fitter in the tyre depot (I was having a new one fitted. £54. Jesus!) being nice to an old lady customer. That’s heartening, too, and he was wearing a beanie hat which makes it even more so.

My favourite dentist ever – the splendid Ms Medeea, late of Transylvania. I bumped into her while walking through Ashbourne, and asked whether she’s still working at the practice (I last visited the practice a year and a half ago because the pandemic played havoc with dental appointments, emergencies excepted.) She said she was, but she wasn’t sure for how much longer because certain issues are getting on her nerves. Well, if ever she sets up a practice of her own I want to be the first to know. Being second in the queue would be unconscionable in the matter of remaining under Ms Medeea’s tender ministrations.

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Tonight’s twilight was cold and gloomy again. When you’re prey to a depressive tendency, cold and gloomy twilights don’t help.