In Town

Lady and Thomas had a Jujitsu class, so Duncan and I went for a walk in town together. The sun was shining and we were full of joy and energy. We chatted about our plans, Duncan requested a visit to the toy shop and I consented. But we had some business to attend to first, returning a shirt to a men's clothes shop and buying some fruit and vegetables in the greengrocer's. Duncan had a story going as we went along, all about working at the harbour and quarry masters and cheeky engines who are too big for their boots. He didn't like the greengrocer shop, preferring to stand outside while I paid for my Bramley apples (we'll be having apple crumble tonight).

We like to call into the charity shops in town, and he usually spies a video he likes the look of. This time he chose a work of Canadian evil entitled Polka Dot Shorts. We carried on down the hill to the shopping centre housing his favourite toy shop. After checking out almost every Thomas & Friends item on sale, he asked to have a Take Along Whiff. The canny folk making the Thomas films have created (or resurrected) a load of new characters, just to keep our Thomas obsessed children supplied with more items to collect.

Leaving the shop we passed a woman collecting for Save the Children, I gave a few coins to Duncan to place in the box and asked if he wanted a sticker, which he did. The lady gave him the sticker, and he said "Thank you...I love you!" which made her smile, and made me laugh. My little smooth operator!

One of my favourite charity shops was across the road. I often buy books there, using it like a long lease library. We found a couple of Disney themed back packs, one with Mickey Mouse (Thomas's favourite) and one with Chicken Little, which may have been a daft film, but Duncan likes the character. I also saw a lovely photo album/project file for Lady and a Manchester United wallet for Thomas. All these will be useful for our Florida holiday.

Duncan was sitting on the floor near the door looking at some books. A car was parked right outside with its window down. A miniature schnauzer (same breed as our Pippi) in the front seat let out a loud wail of pain or complaint, which disturbed Duncan tremendously. He ran out of the shop, crying about the dog saying "Dog is safe, miniature schnauzer will not die, it will be fine!" He shouted and wailed and stomped about a bit. I assured him that the dog would be fine and safe, that it was not hurt any more. He said he wanted to go away, I had a fair idea that he didn't mean that he wanted to leave that place right away, but that he wanted the bad feeling to go, but I confirmed this by asking if he wanted me to take him back to the car straight away, but he didn't.

As this was happening, a woman around my age walked past us into the shop. She looked at Duncan then at me and made some comment which I didn't make out, but her reprobation was written clearly in her twisted face and in the the harrumph and tutting that I did hear.

Well bugger that. My boy and I were doing the best we could and I wasn't going to let some ignorant woman's mistaken superiority get the better of us. I said directly, "pardon, I didn't quite catch that." She walked on, so I followed her (my ire was up) and said again, "excuse me, did you want to tell me something?" But she ignored me and left the shop.

I probably shouldn't have said anything, but I do get fed up with the looks and whispers sometimes, even though I have a merry attitude that whingers can all take a flying leap as far as we're concerned.

Anyway, I still felt good and Duncan was fine, even though he decided that the naughty man in the car had upset the dog. We met a friend of Lady's in town, to whom Duncan proffered the top of his head for a kiss, we picked up the remaining children, went home and had bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches for lunch.