Abstraction and distraction

I went downtown this morning for my weekly CoVid test. As I was waiting in the socially distanced queue at school, I tried to recall what the situation reminded me of. It came to me in a flash:

Signing on, every Thursday fortnight, 10 am at Torphichen Place, Edinburgh. I'd walk from my shared flat in Marchmont, through Bruntsfield and Tollcross. A scary underpass featured somewhere along the route. Inside the dole office, the queue comprised mainly old men who shuffled forwards across the stained grey linoleum. Smoking, spitting,, coughing, spluttering....

What's any of that got to do with CoVid testing? Well, Thursday mornings, 10 am, walking across town to get there, having no choice in the matter, and of course Queueing! That's all.

My result was negative, as per usual. I visited the bank and PO in town, then picked up a pre-ordered cake from the Silver Rooms cafe. It turned out to be enormous! It's my birthday tomorrow and I'd been told it would be good for twelve people. I'd say twenty, all of whom I shall have to encounter separately, at different times. I will be a super cake-spreader....Actually it's a pudding, really. Pear and walnut upside-down. Yum!

A friend came round later, a day early, to deliver a card, so I threw her a piece to take away. She tells me it's amazing. Her birthday is next week, I'll probably get her a 24-pack of Ready Salted crisps, she's a sadly socially distanced snack addict.

Second friend cancelled our planned daily exercise today because it was raining. Hmmm. She clearly did not grow up in Ireland or the West of Scotland! Never mind, I had Zooms to attend, plus flower arranging to do ...more about that tomorrow, maybe!