I had cause to stop and think today about people in general.

It was precipitated by a chance meeting of a friend not seen since before the pandemic ushered us all into involuntary seclusion as if influenced by the lives of Howard Hughes, or George Harrison.

Oddly enough, her being a lady, we met in a builders merchants, me looking for metal screws and strong adhesive and her I'm not sure.

Because we were both wearing masks we noticed each other but unlike my realisation, she did not recognise me.

I walked passed her as she stood to wait at the paint counter and gently bode her 'Hi'. Momentarily nonplussed she realised who I was and countered with,'I didn't recognise you with the mask!'

We slipped easily into the ritual perfunctories of conversation and briefly detailed our versions of the last three months under 'lockdown' and it's undoubted ramifications.

We exchanged...