Showdows of the past

  

I find myself increasingly thinking about people locally I have not seen in a long time. Lockdown meant there were many people we did not see for months. In my case it was the school run, the shops or just out for walks. Many people I do not actually know I maybe gave a nod or a wave to. And given how many people lost their lives since the pandemic started there is a concern that there may be some once familiar faces in among them. Of course no doubt in the coming months I will probably see some of those I thought were gone.

One person who I do know is gone is "Auld Michael". He was a walker. I used to meet him sometimes and chat mostly about different walks here and he would tell me of some further afield. My wife actually knew him better and longer because when she worked in the Sport Centre he used to come in. And that is why I know he is passed now to COVID-19. My wife read of it on Facebook. He was funny. The last time we spoke I had to walk slightly ahead as we had the dog and he was going nuts as usual. Michael was telling my wife how he and his wife had been in Dublin and they were looking for a church they could not locate. He asked a local man the quickest way to get to this church and the man asked him if he was driving or walking. When he said driving the local replied: that's the quickest way.

But for every Michael there will be 10 others who are fine or more. The strange thing is there is a couple of times I thought I had seen him from a distance until I learned of the news. And yet part of me still expects it somehow. Like a friend and colleagues of my wife who I used to see too but died with cancer at the start of the pandemic. This is something maybe others are experiencing now. I used to have memory lapses about people when agoraphobia was severe. One time I could not remember how many kids my sister had- briefly I should say. I couldn't remember if my brother in laws parents had both died or whether it was just one. This happens when you get cut off and disconnected. I've had it for years but I am sure not through lockdown many others will be experiencing it. 

Its a strange old time and we are all trying to readjust again. Its not easy for anyone but for sure lots of had it very hard with this horrible virus whether directly or indirectly. Personally I feel blessed that so far we have not had anything to complain about.