Irish parades and boozy festivities all over the planet are cancelled today because of the pandemic. I thought I should walk up to Es Cuco and get in a stock of long lasting veggies, just in case the store was going to empty. Its shelves were still fairly full, however, and the meat counter busy. I bought a chicken breast, a huge butternut squash, and a green cabbage as big as your head that weighed three pounds, and looked so fresh it could have come from a field this morning. I cooked three of its outer leaves for lunch and they tasted delicious.
I was carrying a lot of weight in my rucksack, and stopped at the roundabout exit near the shop to hunt for my wallet, as I thought I might have left it in the shop. I must have looked a sight while I rummaged. I caught the attention of a Police vehicle, which swung off the roundabout and blocked the carriage way on the wrong side of the road, and summoned me to approach, but not too close. Where was going, one of the cops asked. I told him the name of the Chaplaincy house. He didn't get it the first time, but noticed the cross I was wearing and understood me the second time and sent me on my way, heaving at the full rucksack.
Then I noticed another car pulled up on the carriageway nearby with the legend 'Sanitaria' on the side, and a man wearing a mask and gloves at the wheel. It dawned on me that the two vehicles were patrolling together. One asking questions, and the other to transport safely anyone detained and needing to be taken home or to detention because they were out and about walking when they didn't have sufficient reason (and just might be sick or infectious).
Back at the house I looked at another web article on advice, and realised that the State of Alarm makes no provision for people needing to exercise to stay fit. I hadn't realise this yesterday when I went out. Oops! At least I didn't learn the hard way and get arrested. But I was walking in deserted places yesterday, less likely to need patrolling than the approaches to the supermarket where I was stopped this morning. Lesson learned. I was out there with reasonable purpose today, I mustn't push my luck. So, I topped up my daily exercise quota walking round and round the outside of the house. It was horribly dull. Forty times around for a mile. Having spent quite some time reading and reflecting in writing on a couple of articles Roy sent me, plus writing an article for his Redefine Christianity blog, I certainly needed to move about briskly.
A man walked past with his dog in tow, talking on his mobile phone, exercising the hound more than would be needed for it to defarcate, which is all that the State of Alarm provides for. It seems daft not to allow people to walk out in deserted places as long as they avoid close contact with others, but deserted places can quickly fill up with people needing to exercise I guess. Nothing is ordered about night curfew. It was noticeable how few cars were out compared to last week, and nobody but nobody walking in the dark. A wonderful, natural silence reigned after sunset. Apart from the cries of owls and other night birds in distant meadows.
No comments:
Post a Comment