Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Winter afternoon, in the dark and sleepy time.

1. It's a cold and dank afternoon so Alec and I warm our hands and our hearts in a new cafe on The Pantiles -- it's called The Cake Shed because it is most definitely cake centred. We devour two kinds in tiny bites to make them last -- carrot, and an extra special brownie (Alec comments that the raisins are sour, and the owner explains that they are cranberries and gives him one to try).

2. "It dark, Ally scared."
"Well we'll be out of this passageway and back on the Pantiles in a jiffy if you turn round and walk that way."
"Sing it."
"Sing what?"
"SING IT! Don't be afraid of dark..."
"Oh... oh right... (mumbles, unsure about acoustics and thinks that singing in the bedroom at night is one thing, but in the street just after tea is quite another) 'When you walk through the storm...'"

3. Those evenings when, after just three stories, Alec says he wants to lie down.

Morning, errands and entertainment.

1. I murmur an acknowledging greeting to a passing bin man. He is a well brought-up African and replies with eye contact and a warm 'Goo...