Lonely

Red Jacket

Loneliness is a curious thing. It can occur when by yourself, and it can occur when in a crowd of unfamiliar people. Sadly, this was a lonely day for one of us. The day began on quite a positive note, sunny and warm. All three of us headed off on a hill walk with the Club. We met up with the other dozen walkers at the bus station, used our phones to purchase tickets, and enjoyed the beginning of the hour and a half ride into some beautiful countryside south of Edinburgh. That area is known as the Borders, as in the border with England.

While we all sat on the upper level of a double-decker bus, toward the end of the bus ride, the sun was replaced by rain; the forecast was for rain throughout the remainder of the day. This is when we first became aware of the loneliness. One of us, who shall not be named, reached into their daypack and discovered their relatively new, perfectly waterproof red Gortex rain jacket had been unintentionally abandoned. It was spending the day alone on a hook in the foyer of our flat back in Edinburgh. Sadness, and a bit of panic followed.

Luckily, especially since this is Scotland, the weather did not do more than spit a few drops for fifteen minutes or so. No rain jacket, no problem. The reunion with the red rain jacket, upon returning to the flat, was quite moving.