Rebels abù

There’s a man I’ve been passing on my evening walks for the best part of 15 years. In the beginning, he walked with his wife, a glamorous blonde woman, and their big golden Labrador. I never knew their names, so in my head they became “Bonnie and Clyde”. As you do. Our entire acquaintance has always consisted of a hello as we passed. After a few years, I stopped seeing his wife. It was just him and the Labrador, who always seemed to have boundless energy. Then, more recently, I realised I hadn’t seen him for a while at all. I wondered how he was. This evening, there he was, with a little spaniel puppy full of energy and very enthusiastic about being out in the world. We said hello, and each continued our walk. I don’t know his story. I don’t know what happened to his wife or his lovely Labrador. But seeing him again made me think about how much life can change while we’re simply getting on with it. My own life looks very different from when I first started passing them. Fifteen years holds a lot: different jobs, losses, friendships, new beginnings and everyday moments you barely notice at the time. It’s funny how someone whose name you don’t even know can become a familiar part of your life. I was very glad to see him this evening. And his little dog.