Up with dawn. 4am and I told the cat to wait despite her bum being in my face. 5am and her persistence mixed with having things to do propelled me up. I gave her mackerel which isn’t her favourite but it needed using up and I figured she was hungry after persistent shouting. She mostly turned her nose up.
I found myself staying with her, stroking and grooming her. She’s got the measure of me now. In return she makes the “giving her medicine” experience much less troublesome – or perhaps I’ve got better at it. I stayed with her and played with her for about two hours longer than I had intended, and then shot up to Croydon to rent the van.
Pace van hire have been my go-to for years for workhorse van rental in London, free of bullshit. I usually go to New Cross where you can park free locally. This time I went to Croydon as it worked geographically. Parking all day was about a fiver. I was late to pick up the van and behind schedule, but they were brilliant and understanding and helpful despite my barely concealed rage at having to wait for them to go and get the thing. As always a good vehicle. Previous clients have chewed up the interior but it was happy to GO. That said, the first time we went at speed it stank a bit. Likely it had sat for a while, but … they have decent mechanics and we are there for the prices. It was a good engine, plenty of space and remarkably fuel efficient.
We were picking up entomological journals from Northamptonshire. My brother was with me. They are all off to the museum for reference. I was just the ferryman, curious and helpful as ever, a little bit lost in conversation sometimes, happy to absorb.
Max was looking at every tree, picking up every rock. ’twas ever thus, and this fellow – the donor – was part of his tribe. I saw them in their element. And oh, I love my brother.
It was an incredible collection of rare scientific periodicals. It’s going to the right place. I was happy to help move it there. I remembered a snippet of conversation between them as a way of filling you in. There’s no competition between these humans – they both just love their medium and this is casual chat:
“I see you have a good crop of Anthrinus on the Oxide Daisies. probably from the swifts. yeah they look like Verbasci… … ? Ooh what type of moth is that?”
These were two specialist big brains and I grew up with one of them. I had been aware of the swifts, wheeling and crying over the house, nesting in the eaves. Wonderful to hear their calls as we sat having strawberries in the garden. The buzzing of happy bees in a very fertile garden, the calls of wonderful birds. Two good smart hearts who care about the natural world. And his brilliant wife and I. Not collectors in the same way, but connectors. We quickly found understanding – she had been a headteacher for years, and shares the joy I take in speaking truth whenever possible.
A lovely day even though it was much later finishing than expected so I’ll be going into a show tomorrow underprepared, but hey, it’s The Factory?!
AlBarclay 