The importance of knowing

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What date is it? Do you always know and does it matter? I remember when my mother was coming round from an operation the anaesthetist asked her the date. This was to check that her brain had not been affected. I do not always know the date myself because I am not at work and a quick check on my mobile soon tells me. I do not need to know the date, do I?

But increasingly I am seeing ‘Road Closed’ advanced information signs as we drive along and at the bottom of the notice are the closure dates. If you do not know the date, you do not know if the closure is today or next week. I know there will be diversion signs but sometimes as I follow these along unknown roads, I wish that I had looked up another route myself or waited for another date for my journey.

Another reason to check the date is for the bin collection. We start with our new ‘Green’ bin next week and as you get older like me these things take on a greater importance.

I found myself wondering about the importance of size in a takeaway fish shop last week.

“Two small fish please.”

“Small is medium. Do you want medium?”

“Two medium then please and one portion of chips to share.”

“Is that small, medium or large?” I plumped for safety and said ‘medium’. It was all too much and we ended up feeding the gulls against all advice.

It is the same with clothes I am usually Small and sometimes Extra Small but occasionally Medium, like the fish, you cannot always be sure.

 As a precaution I went for my COVID jab last week but a lot of the people I talk to are not having it this year. The reason does not seem clear except that we do not feel as worried as we were about COVID. But yesterday we also went for our winter flu jab.

I shuffled forwards in my special white jabs tee shirt, realising that it is looking decidedly drab and grey. It is my only one with short sleeves and so has been on jabs duty for quite a few years now. I am loathe to buy a new one as I only wear it for these occasions. I think I will brave it out and pretend I have not noticed.

I wonder whether anyone has noticed my book yet. There was a little bookshelf for donations in a quiet garden at the seaside. I put my book in there for people to read. It was rainy and windy. Perhaps it is too cold and not the right time.

(Taken from m column in the Shropshire Star)

 

A little bookcase in a quiet garden where I put my new book for someone to read

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