An acquaintance of advancing years (mine and hers) confided over dinner recently that she had lost her flamingo. Instantly, I was all ears and attention. What incredible tale would emerge?
She had lost it whilst shopping in Rye. “It must have been on one of the parallel streets”, she said, a rather odd way of describing the High Street and Cinque Ports Street. “What about Market Road?” I ventured. “No, that’s where I bought it” she replied “from a place opposite the pet shop.”
Rather to my relief, she explained, quite lucidly and patiently, that her favourite shopping trolley, emblazoned with a pink flamingo, had disappeared she knew not where. She had called at a dozen or more places, some of them several times. She was getting quite well-known at Nationwide for her thoroughness and persistence.
As I said, I have known her for many years and a certain degree of absent-mindedness is common to us all, sometimes quite endearing in fact. What impresses me though is someone’s tenacity in the face of adversity. Maybe she is still searching and will one day be reunited with her flaming go-cart of a trolley. I hope so and wish her well.
Image Credits: Kenneth Bird .