Dragged myself out of bed to go into town this morning - why oh why did I drink a whole bottle of wine, what on earth possessed me! Head slightly sore, took some paracetamol and drank some water, showered, made myself look human again and headed of to town in the pouring rain.
it is very wet and very windy here, dark as well with an autumnal feel - what happened to summer!
Waiting outside building society just before nine elderly lady starts giving me her life story.
"This branch never opens on time" she says. Town hall clock chimes. We all wait patiently outside in the pouring rain. "See I told you they still haven't opened it yet " she says " they did that one day last month as well!"
"Really says I"
"Yes I think it is disgusting making us wait! Look at them all chatting inside while we are getting wet it is disgusting"
She then decided to give me her life history, the fact that she has to come in by taxi because she cannot get a bus from where she lives (public transport up here is crap) and she cannot come by car because she cannot drive - apparently her husband was "very inconsiderate - he died 18 years ago without a thought about how it would affect me!"
Err ...........ok right, just keep smiling.
We get into the building society she matches me step for step then stand in the queue
"oh honestly" she says (there are two people waiting in front of me this is important) "only two people serving today, this is ridiculous! the taxi is coming for me at 11 and I have to go to Wilkinsons and Tesco still, I haven't got time to waste waiting around!"
" Don't worry says I, I'm only paying in a cheque won't take long and these ppl in front won't be long either it will only take 5 mins"
"that is 5 mins too long!" she says "The taxi is coming at 11 I haven't got all day!"
So I smile sweetly and manage to get to the till before she starts again.
Sweet old lady yes. Lonely? Probably. We see her everyweek. We get the same tale. I can be in a queue and notice she is coming down the road and she will spot me and start. Every week. It has got a joke now with hubby!
In the shopping centre, man comes upto me an asks if I am his wife errrrr no. Are you sure he says, you look vaguely familiar....
hubby is creasing up, not much help at all. Manage to get away eventually, go and have breakfast where dopey dora was on duty - "a milky coffee please" I ask for
"Is that a black coffee or a white one" she asks.
Ended up with a black coffee and added my own milk to it in the end, it was easier!