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Local errands
"The list is long
With many a winding turn
….
who knows where.
But I'm strong
strong enough to face it all.
It ain't difficult
It's my to-do list."
I hop on my silver Raleigh mountain bike, which tweaks from lack of use. I chant to myself, "Do the must-do's first and the nice-to-do's last."
The dentist is just around the corner. I barely have time to sit down and skim through the latest "Hello!" magazine before I get called.
"Any problems?" asked the young dentist whom I remember vaguely from the previous year.
"No, just this stain," I pointed to my upper tooth. "I don't know how it happened, but it doesn't seem to go away."
"I see. That's easy. We'll fix it," he promised.
Fifteen minutes later I'm off on my bike again. To my surprise, there's no queue at the council tax office. I had wanted to get there before the lunch break. There's no queue in the town hall either. Nor at the bank. And I'm not even hungry yet.
At the town hall reception, I enquire about my friend's new art studio. It's supposed to be right behind the town hall. I phone him. No answer.
Lunch at my favourite noodle bar, where the seats and tables are arranged like the Wagamama chain. I order seafood yaki udon, those thick hand-made Japanese fried noodles I know so well from my youth.
Usually I'd make an appointment beforehand to ensure against eating alone and to optimise the way I spend my time. Today, however, I don't feel like calling anyone on my prepay mobile phone. Besides, my to-do list is only a quarter checked.
As I walk into Ealing Broadway mall to the public library on the first floor, I remind myself not to visit the music section. I can't afford to get distracted or tempted by scores to sight read. I don't have the time to indulge. I must get the books on the reading list for my writing course. That's the most important thing. Oh yes! And to enquire about Internet access.
On second thought, I can't afford to spend time on the Internet either. Thank goodness, all the computer terminals are taken.
I cycle to the supermarket. Again I remind myself not to indulge. I am only living in my house for one week. Get the bare essentials but don't cook up a feast. I can't afford to spend time shopping, preparing, cooking, and washing up, especially for a meal of one. Besides, I had told myself not to do much housework and give myself a break.
My challenge is to live like a visitor in my house and treat my house like a hotel.
2 July 2004 Friday
Related links:
analyticalQ London links
The Ark, Ealing
He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother - lyrics and midi
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