Ghost Mile

Today’s been fairly extraordinary. Really, it was a succession of firsts - absolute and subjective. The first first (I really wanted to write that) involved a walk into Edinburgh city centre to see the historic sights uncluttered by ... people. And it was strange, in that we had to walk through a relatively normal area where people were out food shopping, where the pavements felt insanely crowded, but when we got to the approaches to Edinburgh Castle it became quieter and the castle Esplanade was virtually deserted. The photo shows the Royal Mile, looking east. I’ve never seen it like this. It was like being in a post  -apocalyptic movie.

The next adventure involved a taxi and masks. I experimented with a Buff - one of these tube scarves. It was hot and oppressive and we looked like thugs.

Later - and this was a first too, since 13 March, I went to Sainsbury’s to get some of the stuff I just can’t get in Dunoon. I had a cloth mask with me this time; I  put it on in the queue and sallied into the shop - and it was fine. I bought a blouse, just because I could, some spices, some fig jam ...

I’ve been wondering if I’d ever be like a normal person again. I don’t really mean pre-pestilence normal; I’m just thinking of being a person that goes into shops and isn’t a fearful recluse. So today was really a day of discovery.

And I discovered that one step is enough.