dessert now and no one puts me off Rocky Road and ice cream.’
‘Ooh I’m so jealous!’ I realise I haven’t had Rocky Road for ages. In fact I’d totally forgotten it existed. Now I come to think about it, I really need Rocky Road back in my life. It’s definitely going on my list next time I have to do the weekly shop.
‘I’d send some across, but I’ve pretty much eaten it all,’ remarks Greg.
This guy is hilarious. I can’t believe I haven’t come across him before when he lives so near.
‘So … basically won’t be long now then?’ asks Jack, bringing our attention back to the current issue.
‘No – the baby might well be born in the next hour or so, although it’s a first-born and they can be unpredictable.’ Erica is matter-of-fact.
‘But I don’t know what to do with myself until then. I’m all over the place,’ says Jack, sounding more restless than one of my reception students.
‘Why don’t you go and grab your shopping from outside the door and then come back and we’ll all have a drink?’ I suggest.
‘Excellent idea.’ We hear Jack walking inside his flat.
‘What can I do to help?’ calls Greg.
‘We could put on some relaxation music, whale sounds or something,’ suggests Erica, although she doesn’t sound too enthused about it.
‘Please don’t.’ I laugh. ‘Whale sounds always make me ridiculously stressed.’ I love relaxation music and have got quite into mindfulness when I get a minute, especially during the lockdown. I find I need it. But whale sounds, they’re like a really horrible eerie shrieking; makes me feel really tense. Who on earth first thought they were relaxing in the first place? Thinking about it, who even discovered whales make a sound, as they’re not discernible by the naked human ear? Even more puzzling, whoever that person was felt it was important to not only encourage other people to listen to the hideous sound, but worse still, that it was necessary to record it for innocent people going about their daily business who would never ordinarily listen to whale noises. It’s worrying really.
Before we can discuss the choice of music any further, the dulcet tones of a saxophone lilt over the edge of the balcony and waft towards us on the afternoon breeze. Erica and I both stand transfixed, wrapped in the chocolate velvetiness of the sound. For a moment we are transported far away into another place, another world where there isn’t a pandemic. A perfect time and place – it’s like a really mellow version of ‘Perfect Day’. Now this is my kind of relaxation music.
‘Is that Greg playing?’ Erica asks peering over the balcony rather pointlessly. She can’t possibly see anything of him, as his flat is to the side of another part of the building, which juts out obliterating the view.
‘I guess it must be, unless he’s put on a CD.’
The music ends and we both feel a sense of regret, bereft almost.
‘Hey, Greg, was that a disc?’
‘No, it was me,’ he replies. ‘I like a bit of a blast on the old sax.’
‘Man, you are talented.’ Jack has obviously returned.
‘It’s just a few notes all thrown together,’ says Greg.
‘Play us something else,’ I urge throwing myself down in a chair and making myself comfortable.
‘I’ve got the rest of the shopping to unpack – I could do with some accompaniment,’ Jack adds. ‘Thanks so much for this, Sophia,’ he calls down. ‘You’re a lifesaver.’
‘Don’t worry; I was going to the shop anyway. You really need to give me a list each week and I’ll sort it.’
‘Yeah she loves shopping,’ says Erica, sarcastically.
‘I hate food shopping,’ retorts Greg. ‘You can go for me too.’
‘Course I will,’ I say.
‘Nah you’re okay.’ He laughs. ‘I’m allowed out – when I’m not at work.’
‘You still working, then?’ Erica asks.
‘There’s no rest for the wicked.’
‘That good, huh?’
‘Yeah, but I love my job, hard though it is sometimes.’
‘Are you a medical worker then?’
‘Not exactly. I’m a carer at the local autism residential college for young people.’
‘Whoa, that’s tough,’ says Erica.
‘It can be, but also really rewarding.’
‘I can imagine,’ I say. ‘Why haven’t they gone home to their families?’
‘Many of them have, but for some it’s just not possible. Either the family don’t want them, or in some cases they desperately do, but can’t cope with them.’
We are all silent for a moment. Lockdown is incredibly tough for so many people and makes difficult situations for many even more complicated. I think of all those who