I took the train to Agra today. Having experienced the balancing act of hole in the floor toilets on a moving train I thought I would be ok even though you can end up with wet feet but I was not prepared for the train doing an emergency stop while in the crouching position. The result? Elegant it was not. So food that was destined for passengers 'lunch ended up on the carriage floor. For those who had already been served I imagine they suffered most. Having dispatched the cow that had wondered onto the line we went to the next station where a street trader was dispatched to bring food. I was given a carton of steaming vegetable curry and rice. I am in a small 'green' hotel, no air conditioning, just ceiling fans but in a lovely setting. I have lost count of the number of people who want a selfie with me. Apparently they like grey hair. Of course I have to make sure their hands aren't dipping into my rucksack!
My father could play the piano. Not an unusual skill but he was deaf. He lost his hearing fighting in the army in India in the 30s so he was an adult when he lost it and therefore remembered tunes, even though he couldn't hear him. However he didn't have the skill to learn anything new so either you liked the old music or you didn't. He used to say that he played by ear and then would roar with laughter. He would have struggled in many ways with modern living but most of all during the pandemic, he would have lost his ability to communicate as he always lip read. There must be thousands of people like him today who still rely on reading lips to understand, in fact all of us do it to some extent, so please be patient if someone is struggling to communicate while you are wearing a mask. I went to the supermarket today and at the check out, the cashier asked me to move the trolley into a particular position. As I manoeuvred it ...
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