Elsa's Man

I've seen Eddie around Market Square before but he has always seemed a little bit too much in his own world to approach easily. Today, though, I saw him with Elsa, who has become quite a friend. Like Eddie, Elsa is also often to be seen in her own world. Unless I stop her she doesn't recognise me on the street. But when I do say hello, like I did today to wish her a happy new year, her face lights up. There is no one who is more engaging in my circle of old regulars. She grips my arm and holds me close, making sure I can't escape too easily, and launches into a litany of her latest ailments. I always take a deep breath first. Bless her.

While we talked I could see Eddie wandering off so I pointed and asked if that was her man. He was. She then proceeded to tell me about the more intimate details of their relationship, which I didn't really need to know, but I'm getting used to people talking about such things with me. It seems to happen a lot! Feeling a little sorry for Eddie, I asked to be introduced and as soon as I was his face lit up too, into a huge smile. After I took a portrait of Eddie I was caught again by Elsa, which gave me the opportunity to take a few candid shots from the hip. "Does she ever stop talking," I asked. He shook his head and continued to puff away, lost once more in his own world.