The park bench pal who I helped to survive lockdown - Fiona Duff
You know how you have a friend that you ‘saw through’ lock down.
Well, I don’t think that I was top of anyone’s chart, although to be honest it might have been nice.
With a husband and daughter at home, a son and his girlfriend at the end of our garden and her sisters and family appearing at all times we had an extended bubble that was actually quite fun.
Add a puppy chosen at beginning of 2022 and it wasn’t far off Little House On The Prairie. Without checked patterned dresses obviously.
Anyway, there were those that I was aware that didn’t have this immediate group.
One friend I had met up regularly with our dogs at a canine-friendly establishment in the centre of town over several year was such a person.
We worked in a similar field, so there would be a bit of bitching about whoever had recently annoyed us then a few recommendations on what we were watching on streaming platforms – I cannot commend his recommendation of the Kominsky Method more – and finally, as the wine hit perhaps, a list of people to be lined up against the wall should the revolution come.
For the past couple of years that has calmed down to a walk with a flask of coffee, occasionally a bottle of wine on a park bench like so many others, and just a general, unspoken need to be of support to each other. There perhaps wasn’t anything else we could do.
However, it cemented a friendship where we now talk about problems with our parents – we are of an age where they now need the care that they gave us. Or oddly to some, difficulties with our dogs.
But it makes me warm to know that I feel needed, especially as any advice given to my children is described as "weird” and I feel rather redundant as a parent.
See you on the park bench mate. You know who you are.