Litterbugs...

Friday 15th January, 2021

It was a relief when I opened my curtains this morning to see that it was not raining. The whole of yesterday had been wet. We had been warned of snow and ice but none had materialised. I realised as I could only take a short walk yesterday that I enjoy, even need, a walk. It gets me breathing, de stressing, moving muscles and inducing a natural tiredness. Fearing that the rain might come I decided to leave early. After muesli for breakfast I set off at near midday after writing a short note in response to a letter. It needed to be posted so I took it with me to Tayport down the Fife Coastal path and along the Tay toward Tentsmuir and St Andrews.

It was cold but I warmed up rapidly. I took my trusted litter grabber with me. The grabber has almost become an identity as people hail me and say that they had seen me collecting litter before. In fact at one point in Tayport the local librarian shouted a hallo, offered a take away coffee and said she had been phoned by a friend recently and mentioned sighting me with grabber in two different places. I wish people would follow my example and do the same! I was horrified as at a lay by just off the path I came across a dumped large cardboard box. It had to my mind been thrown off a lorry or fallen off. It had coke cans, boxes within boxes, plastic bags, plastic holding rope and much else. Fortunately a public dustbin was in the lay by so I picked all the detritus up and put it next to the dustbin. There was too much to try to squeeze in. Then on I went and over the next two miles filled my Tesco bag to capacity, indeed to the point where I had no more room and had to pass the litter and leave it. I met a dog walker who hailed me and I told her I had 12 dog pooh bags. She said she was shocked but not surprised because twice recently she had told people off for dropping the bags. She said she had been abused for so doing and was a little nervous of doing it again.

After venting my spleen with her I walked on in to Tayport. I passed my Charity shop where I used to put in a few hours pre pandemic. It is closed. Outside was a large box of books with 'Help yourself free', so I did. When I met the librarian later I asked when the library would be open again. She has no idea so grabbing a few free books seems heaven sent.

I caught a bus back. I was the only passenger. The bus driver commented that she had seen me collecting rubbish. She said that the summer before last a cafe down on the beach had offered a free coffee to anyone who picked up a full bag of detritus from the beach. She then went on to say how her Mother is a great picker-uperer of litter and that she had given her a pair of special gloves for Christmas for that very purpose. A band of merry collectors we are...we need a Facebook page to let off steam and shame the perpetrators!

Back home I tuned in to Episode 3 of 'Young heretics' a series of talks on Western Cultural roots and turning points. Today I heard of the point where at the Roman Republic becomes the Roman Empire. The brutality of murder, intrigue, ambition, perfidy, political theft, violence, bribery and the love of Mark Anthony for Cleopatra and much else ending in the battle of Atrium. The literary sources were mentioned as was the Murder of Cicero. So war, ambition, skilful political and military skills and money, sex and intrigue were in full flight then as they are now.

Nothing changes. There was much of the same in the lecture on Isaiah as there is the same going on in many a nation today. Will we never learn?

An email not long ago asked if I would consider becoming Vice President of the local Probus club. The duties were laid out. I am thinking of replying asking if blood, sex, money,intrigue and politicking have been involved! I fear the answer would be that simply everyone else had been asked and refused! No Cleopatra in this...and I am no Mark Anthony!

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