August 30

An old man kicks a tiny conker aside. I fetch it and marvel: small, shiny, new autumn brown; the first conker of autumn. And childhood floods back in a gush of smiling memories.

*

A tiny kindness touches me: a man swaps pound coins for two pound coins, which I need for my washing machine metre. No shop can supply me, but overhearing my tiny sigh, he helps out. He didn’t need to. A little faith in Mankind made.

*

An elderly couple waddle down the evening street. There is something odd in their waddle. They are holding each other close. The man has a white stick. The woman’s eyes are half opened, flickering. Not sure who is leading who. They are both together. They are companions, close, keeping the world at bay, relying on each other.