‘I’m on my way to a sort of interview. It’s for a sort of counselling job for drug and alcohol addiction. Have you got the time? Well I’ve been there on the other side myself so I know what it’s like. I’m not like a man trying to tell a woman what it feels like to have a baby. D’you know what I mean? It’s common sense really. Have you got the time, again? I tell people they can drink if they want. But it’s not compulsory! It’s down to the company you keep too. For some people it’s normal to crack open a can first thing in the morning. I’ve been all over with the Navy. People in this country don’t know how lucky they are. Look at this park. It’s beautiful, isn’t it? I could walk through this park and get enough to live on for a day. I’m Mikey, by the way.’
‘My name’s Albert. I’ve been fishing in this park for a good few years now. Ther’s a long waiting list for the permit. I’ve got a bit of a problem with my shoulder now so I use this sling to throw the bait. Look, I’ll show you. I use maggots for bait. No, we don’t eat the fish we catch. We put them back to keep the lake stocked. By wife buys fish. We’ve been married 56 years. I still remember the first day I saw her, working in the press factory. I said to my mate, ‘That’s the woman I’m going to marry’. I didn’t get to talk to her much that day and then I went and joined the Navy. But I came back and went to see her in my uniform. We’ve got four children, eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Come back and talk to me anytime you like. I’m here till four o’clock this afternoon.’
‘We’ve been to feed the ducks and we’ve watched the squirrels and now we’re on our way home. Mind you that could take an hour and a half! He loves pushing his buggy along himself. Oh Freddy, don’t sit in that puddle! Oh well, he’s kneeling in it instead! I don’t mind him getting wet, but I don’t want him to get cold. I’m just teaching part-time now so it’s lovely to have these mornings with him. He’s got cousins in London – we do visit, but they’re much older than him. My mum’s just round the corner and she loves taking him. We’re all going back to India this Xmas for a family holiday. ‘
This morning Jo ordered us ‘Get your jackets, your housekeys, you’ve got 25 minutes to go, meet someone, and come back!’ Now we’re taking turns at being that person while the others ask questions. I’m elated. I never would have believed I could have done this; that we all could have done it. And I’m moved. I hope Mikey’s interview was successful. I’m glad I got the chance to wish him well.
I’ve decided to go out early tonight. I’m full of energy from the morning’s workshop so I’m going to my old patch as well as my new patch. They’re a good bit apart so I’ve changed from my skirt to my trousers so that I can walk as fast as possible. My bag has eight or nine envelopes all with standing-order forms and personalized notes for the people from my old patch in case they are not in. I wrote them in the free time this afternoon but they took a bit longer than I thought so I had to leave the meditation early and skip having a snack before leaving to get them finished. But I’m in such a good mood I don’t mind. I’m wearing my Fred Bare beret and extra lipstick and everyone says I look gorgeous.
Everyone is in Alokada and Santasiddhi’s room when I get home. I collapse on the spare bed. The Irish guy who’d said to come back at 9 on Tuesday had his living room light on but no-one answered the door even though I knocked three times. He was my last hope. Lindsay’s had a great evening and has four standing orders. She says ‘I was really inspired by Subhadramati in training yesterday; how she talked about the charity really helped me to communicate tonight’. Lying there, exhausted and crestfallen, I don’t know whether to feel pleased or to burst into tears.
