MEETING UP AND SHARING TIME TOGETHER

Flower Garden at Edinburgh Castle complex

W

e had planned to meet at our usual haunt at 12 noon, but when I got there my friend was not there, so I went north of our rendezvous point and, with my back to the wall of one of the too numerous and increasing closed down shops, decided to become a spectator to the passing pedestrians and shoppers, feeling certain that I would recognise at least one of them, or that someone might recognise me.

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s it transpired, I did not see anybody I recognised and, if anybody did recognised me, they did not let on. Looking back south towards Weatherspoons, I felt almost certain that I recognised my friend, who was in the process of looking around as if he is expecting somebody.  I began to retrace my steps somewhat purposefully, and, within a few yards of my friend, we recognised each other and proceeded to shake hands and vocalise warm greetings. 

The

 plan was that I would be meeting with this friend, Hubart, and our other friend, Holt, but Holt, at very short notice, was unable to join us due to an unexpected development.

S

o, Hubart and I made our way into the pub and found ourselves a seat for 2, before ordering a meal and drinks. We sat sipping our drinks - black coffee, glass of water and a glass of J20 orange and passion fruit, which we took back to our table. Hubart ordered Cod fillet and Mexican rice, while I opted for Fish and Chips without the the usual trappings.

O

n this occasion, the Pub was not nearly as busy and lively  as it had hitherto been in the past, so there were fewer customers to occasionally cast an eye on what might have seemed to be the 'odd couple' sitting together and animatedly immersed in discussion.  Holt, Hubart and I are people of a certain age, with our social work background being our biggest commonality and the reason for our paths having crossed. Normally, when we meet we would spend quite a bit of our time talking about social work, but, on this occasion, we only mentioned it fleetingly, and only by way of my friend elucidating an encounter he had had with another social worker colleague when he was working as a social worker.

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o, as much as we might have enjoyed doing social worker, our meeting was given to talking about what friends talk about when the meet up to share time together.

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e talked about having gone on holidays and plans to go on more holidays, about meeting with family and friends, about parenthood and the demands children make on their parents, and about parents separating and still needing to be able to work together for the benefit of their children.

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e talked about the need for people being guided by the 'pleasure principle', in life, and we talked about trying to avoid being consumed by anger and the quest for revenge, when one is betrayed in love.  We talked about god and religion, about the mystery and magnificence of the universe; of how ancient humans might have needed gods to protect them, and of how it appears that modern humans would have to suspend their incredulity in order to continue to believe in sentient gods, when the evidence seems not to support such a belief.

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nd, as we discussed this and that, our meals arrived, and, before long, was consumed and left us free to continue to discuss many things, including the meaning of life and the need to enjoy our time on the earth.

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ur meeting lasted for several hours, although it did not appear to be so, and was well enjoyed by both of us. As we left the Pub we begin to contemplate when we will meet again, to share time together. Our last meeting was about 4 months ago; chances are that we will make the next in two or three months' time.

We bid each other good bye and to take care, until we next meet.

Part of Edinburgh Castle

OWOHROD