Random thoughts for early summer

Goodness - what a marathon week or so! I find myself at home and able to relax with myself for the first time in ages. Whilst busy, I've observed the following amusingly ludicrous things, and also observed my hatred for certain ridulous others:

1. Random meetings
I have revisited old thoughts on bumping into people randomly. A couple of weeks ago I was walking along Oxford St and I bumped into two people from Hertfordshire who I had accompanied the night before at St. Alban's Abbey. This wouldn't be so unusual except that they had just bumped into one another randomly as well. A total coincidence, although it makes you wonder why! Yesterday when walking to have a drink with Lou, Rob, Kath and Chrissy in Piccadilly, I noticed a shop with interest: I was drawn to it. I found myself thinking 'that is going to be useful soon. I'll remember this'. Odd.

2. Being undercharged
Of course in the scheme of things I'm overcharged more than I'm undercharged for purchases. There is a great childish glee at going to a restaurant and trying to get out of the door without giggling too much when they have forgotten to add the wine on to the bill. In the week before last, I was undercharged twice in as many days for food and a smoothie. Both incidents were at separate places. It just stuck me as odd. Jung would have said something about coincidence in time.

3. Totally wrong
A heavily pregnant lady sitting on the tube reading a Jilly Cooper novel. It made me laugh, but it was still totally wrong. I won't write what I was thinking!

4. Getting older
Twice in the past month or so I have gone right up to someone in a bar and looked inanely at them whilst smiling. I was sure that it was someone I knew, but it has turned out not to be. How embarrassing is that? My eyesight has certainly got worse. The second time it happened, I was meeting my friend Nic at the Yard in Rupert Street. When I arrived, I thought I saw him at the bar chatting to someone else. After my chesire cat routine, and then realising that I was wrong, everyone must have thought I was on an internet date. People kept looking and smiling once I met Nic!

5.Senility and madness
I spotted an old woman reading a book at Oxford Circus Tube. Shocking. She was also having difficulty walking down a staircase with her walking stick, and it was in rush hour. I almost pointed out that things might be easier for everyone if she stopped reading the book... I didn't notice whether it was Jilly Cooper or not: that really would be wrong.

6.Night busses
I have tried to use a night bus twice in the past three weeks. Both times the driver of the N73 has driven right past me and ignored a helpless man in his late twenties out-to-play later than he should be. Both times I have ended up getting a taxi because my need for my bed has overcome my stubborness. You see that is the only positive side of it all; I'm not impressed with London Transport.

7.First Scotrail
Dear Sir,

Imagine my surprise...... First Scotrail has annoyed me once too often and I have written a three-page 'Imagine my surprise' letter to them. It will be posted tomorrow morning. You watch the response. I may even post it here tomorrow......

love

Distraught in Walthamstow....