Friday 19 April 2013
Not long after 16:00 I drive to cousin Naomi’s house, and start sawing up the lopped-off section of tree that has fallen onto her front garden. While I am working, I hear (but cannot see) two people beyond the tall, thick front hedge. One of them, a man, asks: “What’s going on here? Is that you, Naomi?”
“No, I’m her cousin,” I reply.
They enter the garden path.
“Where’ve you gone?” the same man asks.
“I haven’t gone anywhere, I’m behind the hedge.”
We meet on the path, at the end of the hedge that runs alongside it, and I shake hands with both the passers-by. They are Dorcas and Henry, the stepmother and father of Naomi’s old friend Jane. AFAIK this is the first time that I have met either of them.
Naomi has been feeling vertiginous lately — especially on a visit to the post office. She perks up a lot after chatting with me for a while. I agree to look up some information for her on the internet.
