Until this year when it wouldn’t let me ignore it, but instead
insinuated its presence into my mind almost constantly. The feeling it produced
wasn’t a cheery one, though, but more like some invisible presence being darkly
insistent. Rather like the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, in fact. Make of
that what you will; I have no idea.
* * *
Meanwhile, the self-service tills at Tesco short changed me
by 80p today. I managed to get redress from the woman supervising the area, but
I still wondered: does this happen often? If so, what does Tesco do with its
ill-gotten gains? If it uses them to help fund a home for stray dogs and cats I’d
be quite happy, but if they’re sequestered and used to bolster the staff
Christmas party funds I would have some misgivings. I’m mean like that.
* * *
I saw Lucy in Uttoxeter again today. It’s odd, isn’t it, how
you can go a year without seeing somebody, and then bump into them twice in a
couple of weeks? She was wearing a funny hat and managed to express her desire
to be moving on without actually saying so. Lucy continues to intrigue. She
makes absolutely unwavering eye contact and I can never tell whether she’s observing
me or dismissing me patiently. So familiar, and yet so far away.
* * *
I kept thinking today about Ruth’s death scene in the film I
praised to the heavens last night – Never
Let Me Go. Most screenwriters would have made quite the Dickensian meal of
that scene, but not this one. We see Ruth lying on the operating table having
some organ removed, and then the mask and respirator are taken away and we know
she’s dead. Scene over. No explanation was needed because the audience had been
told to expect it without actually being told, if you see what I mean. I do so
love such subtlety and restraint; it makes the pathos so much more powerful. Forget
Disney, Hallmark and all things Hollywood.
This movie was made on a much more rarefied plane.
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