Thursday began in the same vein, as I struggled through the rain to deliver an envelope to Ipswich Borough Council. I parked as near as I could to the postroom door, sprinted back to the van in good style, and promptly bashed my shin against the underside of the dashboard as I threw myself inside.
Back home, I spent half the afternoon at the computer until, at about 5.0, the phone rang and I fully expected to be given a job for the morrow. Instead, Dave asked, "Are you likely to be bored this evening - loaded question, I know - or would you like a drive up to Birmingham?" Hearing my admission of interest, he told me there would be an urgent collection in Hitchin at 7.0, so I set about a hasty tea, and set off. Apart from the rain (sorry to be a weather-bore!) the journey to Perry Barr was trouble-free. I got home bang on midnight, and was into bed by quarter past. I woke up at 3.30, and slept little after that.
Yesterday started quite quickly, because I'd been left at the top of the list ... and I got sent to Birmingham again. This time it was to the city centre, to deliver some computers to an insurance firm for one customer, and to collect a pass from the city council for another. Returning by about 2.45, I thought the day was virtually exhausted ... I felt I was! But to my surprise, I then got a couple more jobs, one to a double-glazing firm in Slough, and the other to take a computer hard drive to Bristol. I made good use of SatNav to by-pass two potential hold-ups on the M4, delivered at 7.30, and gladly fell into a parking spot at a nearby KFC. After about an hour resting, feeding and watching the antics of a seagull at the rubbish bin (!) I felt much better, set off for home, and was in by 11.15. I decided to do my usual admin by way of a 'wind-down' before going to bed, and as a result had eight hours' solid and much-needed sleep.
Today I have had a triply-thoughtful visit to the supermarket. Firstly, I realised that there were far more men doing the shopping today. I can think of no good reason for such a change, but it was a noticeable departure from normal. Then, at the checkout I received just three coins in change, and for a moment stood looking intensely at one of them - so much so that the woman at the till thought she'd made a mistake, and asked whether everything was all right.
I explained that all was well, it was simply that the 10p was so dark I thought for a moment it was Victoria wearing the crown! I have it here in front of me now, and it certainly does have that look about it. It's all to do with a solid black deposit in and around the lettering, and I wondered whether this was so much a characteristic of the old queen's coinage because of all the steam engines, coal fires and heavy industry ... and where this 10p has been to acquire that appearance!
So, to my third highlight. As I came out of the supermarket in the van, I had to wait for someone coming up the road to the town centre. I recognised him as Peter, a good friend and former colleague - riding a bike! I pulled out behind him, and couldn't resist a couple of friendly toots on the horn as I followed him up to the junction. Peter is Polish, that's to say he was originally. He's been in this country since his teens, and apart from the accent that will never leave him, you wouldn't know he hadn't been here all his life. Characteristically, he's a hard and willing worker, and he's now finding better rewards on his own rather than working through an agency like me.
It was he with whom I made my first trip to Northern Ireland a couple of years ago, when the two of us were sent to supervise the transshipment of some important computer equipment from the north-west of England. We didn't actually take anything - we'd simply been engaged to act as independent supervisors to verify that the lorries that did take the computers had completed their journeys without interference. It was the most bizarre courier assignment that we'd been asked to do, and quite enjoyable to boot!
Today, I was sorry not to have the opportuntiy for a chat. I'd love to know why he was cycling, for example. After turning round and recognising me, he almost fell off the bike at the corner. I thought for a moment my hooting had annoyed him, but his face was as fully wreathed in smiles as ever, and I realised that the slope up to that junction is much steeper than you realise on four wheels! I have to admit that I envied him the energy to tackle it, but he is about twenty years younger!
No to tackle more of those holiday plans!
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