The Sound of Music

A short man in a tweed jacket stands with two full carrier bags in the middle of a shop walk way. He’s staring intently at the shelves in front of him as I move to slip past him. Suddenly, he turns and not seeing me, knocks heavily into my injured right shoulder, squishing my right breast in the process. I cry out in shock and pain and am just about to say ‘excuse me’ and smile when he tuts.

I freeze and shut my mouth. How dare he tut at me when it is he who has careened into me. He looks at me expectantly but I remain mute and eventually, he capitulates; ‘Sorry.’ he says.

‘Thank you.’ I reply and walk away, aghast at his rudeness, cursing the world for laying in my path a situation to tempt me into grumpiness and negative thoughts. But then, as I move through the shop, I see a timid-looking man at the helm of a pushchair containing a small, brown girl, who sings loudly and with utter, unself-conscious abandon, ‘Doe, a deer, female deer. Ray a drop of golden sun…’

I can’t help but smile and admire her spirit.