A goose and a swan

[PeverilPeril 3,284]

The day after Boxing Day I went fishing with friends. We book a small lake the same day every year. It's an old 3 acre mill pond with a derelict mill house at the end. I've been fishing there for the past 50 years and I always reflect on the past, on this special day.

I'm sitting on one of the benches and read the brass plate bearing the name of a long deceased pal. There are several such benches within sight and I imagine my old pals sitting on the benches that were dedicated in their memory. We are having a laugh or discussing the merits of certain fishing flies. I looked over to my left where a younger pal was just playing a fish and remembered when jack Charlton was fishing in the same spot. He wasn't doing very well and called he across to me "what flee yu us'n" (I was doing ok) "a small black ******d" I replied. He changed 'flees' and caught one. Jack was brought here several times by one of the 'memory benches', a gamekeeper from Cheshire.

So I sat there watching my pals fishing and reflecting on how our friendships had formed over the years. Friendships from 50 years ago and during the last year.

I had been watching a lone swan going about her business, dabbling at the meagre Winter offerings. She was closely followed by a lone goose. Then the swan turned and gently started to follow the goose. It became apparent that they were lonely for their own kind and had formed some sort of bond. I looked around the lake at my pals, all of us enjoying each others company and wondered what it would be like to be alone.

Do I know anyone that could be lonely? Were the goose and the swan sending me a message?

 

[Beekay 5,152]

You'll never be lonely P.P. while you have Nottstalgians.