Responding to a tum emergency, I went out to the local shops.
There's a nice range of them, and its "socially interesting" as its sort of on the borderline between private suburban houses and a large council estate : everyone is interesting, but a conversation in the Spar showed that council houses can't get water meters (talking about weather than drought)....
Nevertheless, I'd had to park round the corner from the Spar, so passed the tempting shop with the plants, a hairdresser I'd been considering to save money, the cafe with cake temptations...popping into the chemist enroute there was a lovely bit of urban art (as per pic)...
A feature of all these shop is just how very friendly they are, it's clear most customers are known by name. anyway.
Needless to say, there was more in the chemist than some sun protection, which I had gone in for. It's surprising how much you find you need, and the lady is so nice there, chat.
Coming out of the chemists I was so sad to see the local Indian take out had had its glass kicked in: sad sign of the times, hey...
Spar produced not just prunes, but a nice chat with a small group that started withe the weather, but got onto gardens, washing clothes:
And the big one, that council housing can't get water meters. We puzzled why, one man was just all grumbles, but it appears they cost the council an awful lot, and I gently reminded him how much the council has to spend on social care (he looked like he'd need it soon!)
Bear with me here, some of you know I'm inclined to the left, but some of the readers here may be delighted that there was a special offer featuring the Daily Mail....ops, but understood, given the people who come in (I'd have preferred the Mirror, which would have attracted same groups of people depending on their own POV
Now sorry if this is getting tedious, but the lesson here for me was that, living alone, what a great way to start the day with chats...(smile)
and the icing on the cake was a religious discussion becuase there were a very warm little group of I think local evangelical christians from church trying to push a leaflet on me. Or Jehovahs witnesses? anyway I explained I was a Quaker and therefore open and enquiring in my faith. I was oh so tempted to go further and have an intestine exchange, but it was rather too predictable and I was tired by then
Finally, I avoided the tempting shop with the plants, and popped into the hairdresser to see if their prices were better and when was a nice quiet time.
Well I've eaten my prunes and pondering:
How much the little everyday friendliness of strangers can mean, if one just engages with people on their terms
