Walking to Town in the Dark
I wandered into the living room a little earlier this evening, and found my better half sitting alone half watching NCIS. The kids had gone to bed an hour before, and the house was strangely quiet.“Can I get you anything?”“Don't know”“Cup of tea?”“Don't know”“Glass of wine?”“We haven't got any”“But we could have some if you want a glass.“She looked up at me, brow furrowedand that's how, a few minutes later, I found myself walking the mile or so into town in the dark. I had picked up the earphones on the way out of the house, and chose a podcast to listen to as I walked. Andy Ihnatko and Dan Benjamin filled my ears with stories about nothing in particulara subject they're pretty good atand before I knew it the lights and sounds of the town approached.
A gay couple walked past me, arm in arm, talking with voices raised just enough that you know they had been drinking. They turned a corner towards a car park in the dark, and I wondered what might happen nextmy head filling with memories of walking home with girls in the years before marriageof sneaking into dark shop doorways, more because it seemed like the “rebellious thing people do” than because we really couldn't leave each other alone.
The main street was filled with the sounds of a live band playing in a bar, and people turning out of restaurants after a night out with friends and family. They all looked good, and smelled good as I wandered past. I on the other hand wore the same combats I had cycled home in several hours earlier, and just wanted to disappearto sneak silently past and continue on my way.
The supermarket was quiet. I met the same shelf stacker twice while wandering up and down, picking up junk food. I discovered the rest of the late night clientelle in the drink aislepeople on their way home from nights out, buying wine to take with them. Two groups seemed to be having a conversation, and not really paying any attention to the shopagain, they all looked great, and seemed happy. I quietly picked up a couple of cheap bottles of wine, and snuck pasthopefully unnoticed.
While wandering home all sorts of thoughts percolated through my distracted mind. While the podcast continued to play in my ears I realised I had wandered all the way into town, and halfway home, without really giving any thought to how my legs were making it happen. I have odd thoughts like this a lotsurprising myself with just how clever we really are. Here I was, walking along in a manner that the Honda robots would be envious of, and seemingly giving no thought at all to itwhile also half-listening to a podcast in my ears, and thinking about the Raspberry Pi at the back of the desk in the junk room at home (odd, I know).
After letting myself quietly in the front door to avoid waking the children I slipped my coat off, and wandered into the lounge. I pulled a box of chocolates from the bag, and my other half cracked into a huge quiet smile. A moment later I appeared again, and poured a glass of cheap supermarket white wine for each of us.
NCIS was still playing on the television, and Gibbs had a mustache. Very strange.