Heading to Southend Library for a study period in peace and quiet I had a little power walk along the London Road.
The Main Road. The 'all roads lead to London' Road, but the other way, back to Southend. When I say Power Walk, I mean I was overtaking people with shopping trolleys. Armed with my Ipod, studying books in my backpack and on a mission to get to Southend asap. I reach the junction of the Plough pub, I can carry on the London Road or I could take the back streets which are longer, but a more interesting walk. I stick to the Main Road and I take over a young foreign lady who gives me a suspicious look. People in Westcliff tend to walk in fear of each other, especially the ones who don't speak English. I am too busy to be bothered with her. Usually I would have a nod or a smile, but today I am on a mission, I haven't got time for niceties. I am walking ahead of her, but my phone texts and I notice the Essex Furniture Warehouse. The bed shop where someone has removed the E and S so now it reads Sex Furniture Warehouse. ha ha! I remember the 'not right in the head' website that has a picture of this shop for people to laugh at.
I do take two minutes out of my journey to nip into the shop and enlighten the 'sex' workers about the website they are featured on. Fortunately, they also find it funny and they will have a look so they can claim ownership and advertise their bed shop. I come back out on to the London Road in time for the foreign girl to have overtaken me. I overtake her again, this time she actually turns her head to see if I am going to speak. Poor thing.
I carry on, past the Polish Car Wash workers, past the hospice full of ageing bodies and near death experiences and I head to the Library. I pass the old tramp who is huddled against the cold, not really sure the telephone exchange in a metal box really offers that much comfort,but he does have brand new white trainers on, so I guess someone, somewhere is looking after him. I spot someone I know walkng towards me.
I stop dead and as we greet each other with a hug, the young foreign girl stops dead in her tracks behind me, poor dear, when I stopped suddenly in front of her she probably thought I was going to mug her or something!
My friend Johnny looked at me as if to say 'do you know her?' I laugh and explain the overtaking business as I have been walking down the road. We both laugh and the young foreign woman goes about her business, probably scared half to death.
We have a little chat, we talk about the tramp and his new trainers and I say I feel bad walking past without giving him any money.
Johnny says 'don't feel bad',
he reminds me that you can't give money to everyone and he says he will give him a fag on the way past.
We both have a laugh about that, Johnny covers his mouth with his hand, because like me, he knows we are being naughty even having a laugh about giving a fag to a tramp. The tramp is no laughing matter, of course not, but meeting up wth an old friend en route to a study period is something to be joyful about.
I love bumping into people when I am least expecting it.
Love and light to everyone who needs it.
Tamasin x
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