Dreamaticus

Dressed in a pale green, silk-cotton mix, short-sleeved summer tunic, SC criticised me for drinking Diet Coke, the pattern that my food left on my plate half way through a meal, and eating in front of her. I considered her accusations rather unfair given that they were made over lunch at the Loughborough University graduation ceremony. These rude remarks were also very much out of character for my friend. I concluded that she must have recently undertaken a training course on how to be argumentative. When questioned on the subject she confessed that this was the case.

After an afternoon mingling with the new graduates and catching up with colleagues (including JH, formerly of Robert Gordon University, then Queen Margaret, and now back at Robert Gordon) SC and I set out on a trip to the country.

Out in the open I raced ahead, clambered over an old tree trunk and then climbed to the top of a small hill. From the summit I could see in the distance a small figure dressed in bright orange running gear. I was pretty sure that this was BC. I called her, then slid down the hill as fast as I could to meet her at the bottom.

Close up I realised that the runner was not BC. I was distracted from my disappointment when another person dressed in gym gear – this time red, white and blue – stopped me for a selfie. She was a complete stranger to me. Nevertheless, I agreed to her request. Immediately afterwards this woman posed for another selfie with someone else that I did not recognise. They asked if I would use my phone to take the picture. This raised my suspicions and, sure enough, behind me was a third woman with a plastic lasso, ready to capture my iPhone. I managed to take a picture of her instead, and vowed to share it with the police.