Sympathy with The Devil

I have watered my plants, fed the birds and squirrels and am sitting down with a piping hot cuppa feeling very very restless.

Today I worked from home an, having spent the entire morning caught up with emails, texts and phone calls I thought I'd have a break. A break in the garden. Well the tiny patio area I am trying to turn into a temporary haven of colourful and aromatic delights. I know nothing of gardening so it's somewhat pot luck!

I decide to take a long cool drink and a magazine out onto the new garden table and chair set. I am sitting there quietly thinking how lucky I am to have this peace and quiet when a large clump of mud lands on my magazine.

I look up, I look around but can't see where it came from.

Damn birds, how ungrateful are they??! Actually it'd have to be a very large bird to drop that on my magazine.....

Plop

'What the ....'

'So sorry, can't control this stupid thing'

A female voice quips up from the other side of the wall between me, my Garden of Eden and my neighbour, I wonder if I am to ask what 'this stupid thing' is

'Are you alright?'

Probably not but that's not really down to your clump of mud

'uh huh'

Helen Ledreder is trying to explain her day with a Happiness Coach in my magazine

'I'm just not used to it'

'Mmmm'

Look Helen is about to try the Milkshake laugh and......

'I shouldn't really be here'

Right! Fine! Neither clearly should I

'Are you having difficulty'

NO no NOOOO, don't say it

'Do you want some help??'

You idiot, you only have yourself to blame

'Oh no that's okay, I'm nearly done'

Phew, I can get back to my magazine, I want to learn about The Lawnmower laugh.

'Well if you're sure, it's no trouble'

What IS the matter with you??!

I realise that I do not know the women behind the wall. There was a very old and frail gentleman that had been living there but hadn't been there for a couple of months now.

I feared the worst.

I decide to ask what had happened to the old gent.

'My Father in Law has gone into warden assisted accommodation'

'Oh dear, I see, probably the best thing for him I guess'

Probably not but I realise that's the last thing I should say

We chat for a little while, I discover that she has her 102 year old father living next door to her that she looks after daily, they live locally, her day is just full of doing things for her father in law, she spent a few hours with her girlfriend's yesterday, she has turned her phone off now, she ignored the house phone before she came out, her father in law has begun to beg to leave, invents dramas to get his son over.

I am beginning to paint a picture of a very sad man in my mind and feel a huge sense of anger towards the unsympathetic woman.

Suddenly the woman burts into tears.

I am completely thrown and do what all British people do in times of trouble.

'Let me get you a cup of tea........!!'

Over a cup of tea I invite The Woman into my Garden of Eden and I mellow my feelings towards her as she pours out years of pent up emotions. I proffer more tea, biscuits, tissues and baby wipes to tackle the cascading clumps of mascara sprawling down her face.

'Afternoon'

I smile

'Hi'

The communal gardener comes along to see who is out in the garden before he sets the lawnmower going.

'Oh dearie me, what's all this then?'

I'm not to sure what to say and wonder if a Milkshake laugh might be appropriate.....

'Things have just got a little too much and this kind lady has taken me in, and I don't even know your name'

Taken you in????

'Tanie'

Oh good grief, you ARE going home aren't you???

The Gardener walks through the gate

Hmmm, methinks I need a lock

'Can't have her all upset now can we Tabbie?'

'It's Tanie actually....'

'Great, I'd love a cuppa, 2 sugars for me Tally'

Well I guess it is an unusual name........

The afternoon goes on, I end up with 2 more neighbours in my Garden of Eden, we have a Tea and Sympathy Party. ANd no I never did find out what 'the thing' was.....

The Woman and The Gardner leave happy and content and as I wave off my other neighbours I feel happy and content that we have all shared a moment of each others lives.

We should all do this.....and more often