COVID AND ME PART 1 - PINING FOR THE GOOD TIMES
I alluded to house, garden and all remaining jobs being completed during the early throes of lockdown, it is now the period post-lockdown - or as they call it in the north, just another day - where thoughts of pleasant times not so long past raise their heads in one's memory bank.
In a world of economic uncertainty and social turmoil, oh how I yearn to be in my car, surrounded by drivers in the same predicament, as we wait... and wait... Ten miles of tailback and lengthening by the nano-second. Within spitting distance of Erith to my left and Swanscombe to my right, both are inaccessible due to some selfish bastard in a BMW deciding to cut across an articulated lorry which has jack-knifed depositing it's cargo of chemicals over four lanes of the M25. Six fire engines and noxious fumes are only the start of the wait!
It is now 3.38pm, I arrived at this spot at 10.28am. I've counted the minutes and noted the hours. It hasn't been boring, there's the intake of carbon-monoxide emanating from all and sundry who hope that leaving their engine running will speed-up the clean-up - it's a comforting and heady concoction. Whilst awaiting that moment when the overhead gantry's matrix changes from 'Long Delays' to "Congestion' there is opportunity to take in the actions of one's fellow travellers. Some are busy on their phones - Fastbuck, Twatter, video-conferencing... (Actually, if my surname was Rix I'd have to call my son Matt) whilst others, like me, will still be arguing with Radio four - content, bias, diction, use of Americanisms - nothing changes and if it does, it's for the worse! There is always ones own choice of music via the CD, Bluetooth or IPod and you can't argue with ELO or Alan Parsons Project - come plague, pestilence, pyrotechnics or merely a pile-up!
And so to the skies. Maybe a Kite? No, not a prat at the end of a length of string, but a majestic bird swooping high within its domain... But sadly, sweeping low over the still-assembled vehicles floats the remains of a sandwich wrapper (marginally preferable to a north London rapper), a coffee cup, a crisp packet - or three... Travelling with and on the wind, they swirl as only flotsam can amongst Kent's finest litter.
Whilst all endure the relative silence that is fast becoming a way of life, a nonchalant glance across the concrete divide provides a scene us poor soles can only drool over. Yes, you've got it! Four lanes plus slip road full of free-flowing traffic rarely travelling below the speed of light!
Will the spillage soon be cleared? Will all and not-a-little sundry make it to their destinations on time? Will I reach the Essex town for that talk at the WI before Jerusalem commences at 7.28pm - or even before the meeting finishes at 9.28pm? For now, this scenario is but a dream, a longing...but one day...one day...
COVID PART 2 - NEED, FEED AND GREED will appear later this week.
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