Meeting with P.

Am walking across the much vaunted and renewed Prince Alfred Park near Central Station. It is grey but beautiful and I am on my way to meet good friend Peter who lives in Redfern. We have a noon RV and I am half an hour early so I call rashly to say I am there in two minutes, but then take a detour to buy cards and send them at the nearby Post Office. Suddenly I see that it is already ten after twelve. I rush to his house and no-one is there; I look at my phone and he has panicked and gone out to look for me.

Five minutes later I find him silent and worried at the corner cafe, so am very sorry for my tardiness, I obviously should have gone straight to his house when I said I would. Another lesson learned: do exactly as you said you were going to do.

Prince Alfred Park

..winter in Sydney

Redfern St....

At my feet....as well, the dogs are friendly.

Another wet and quite cold day in Sydney, not unlike Wellington without the wind. We take a seat at the corner cafe and the excellent proprietor gives us coffees and toasted focaccias as I try to assuage the feelings of my upset friend. Eventually he settles and we resume our friendship and I am able to present him with my gift of Oliver Sacks' Biography 'On the Move' which I know he will love.

I tell him of my altered plans after the flight from Wellington. As such a good friend he understands  this fourth change of plans, and says it is fine and he will go ahead with his earliest plans. I am somewhat relieved as I don't want to feel guilty about my frequent vacillation in this emotional matter.  He, above all, understands the crazy unexpected movements of the heart in matters of love.

 After a second coffee, with a this time a cake, it was time for P to go home and have nap. I do hope he enjoys my book, at least he has something to take his mind off present work woes. Universities these days are not easy places to negotiate, especially for a sensitive soul like P.

Now for the rest of this wet Wednesday....