Marks and Spencer

It was Saturday morning and I was in my local Tesco, wire basket in hand. I'd collected some bananas and was heading to the vegetables when I bumped into a friend from the town. We smiled, stood and chatted, wire baskets dangling beside our knees.

The first topic was the local Pantomime, we were both going to help out there in the evening. Then we got on to what we were going to do that afternoon. I said I would be watching the rugby international on TV - Ireland v Argentina. 'Should be a good match', I added. He grinned and nodded.

'How about you?' I said, expecting him to be doing the same as I knew he was a keen follower of the sport.

He shook his head, 'I'm going to Marks and Spencer', he said ruefully.

'OK', I said, a little quizzically.

'I've been told I've got to get a new jacket', he said with resignation, glancing down at the carrots in his basket.

I nodded sympathetically.

'They've got a sale on', he shrugged, '25% off', and studied the carrots again. 'My wife keeps her eye on these things', he added quietly and then looked up.

I nodded again. Our eyes met. We said nothing.

'Oh well', I said, 'you can always record it'.

He nodded brightly. Then he paused. 'But I don't know when I'd get to watch it', he said, scanning the row of shiny vegetables beside us.

'OK', I said, glancing down at my basket.

'Better get on', he said and lifted his basket to check the contents.

'Fine', I said, raising my hand in a wave, 'see you later'.

'Sure', he smiled and turned towards the cheese aisle.

As I wandered away I thought about the very hard year I'd had since Joanne left. How at times it had got so painful and tough that, despite all the problems we had, I would have welcomed her back. Then I thought again about how far I'd come over that year. A journey of real growth in so many ways. A journey that I'd needed to take alone.

Joanne had been regularly critical of a whole series of things: most often it was my home and then it was my clothes. I smiled and strode up to the checkout. I was glad I wasn't being compelled to spend my Saturday afternoons in Marks and Spencer.