I Think I'm Being Groomed ....!

 Thumbing a lift into town, some while ago. Woman pulled up and offered me a lift. Obviously, unusual enough in itself. Mature and respectable looking lady, alone, stopping for someone looking like I do.

 I didn't think anything of it though. I know I'm perfectly safe and harmless to women. I guess I just sort of accept that they might have the where with all to figure it out too. Though, if they drive by? I always accept that with perfectly good grace.

 So, we're rolling along and she's explaining how she's a student in a near by town. How she's well into nature. Recognises me as the local Rat Catcher. So on and so forth.   

  She's a brit' too, by the way. No discernible accent. But, quite well spoken. Had that edge of strength to her character too. No subbie, this one. She said she had a bit of land. I said she needed some Nest Boxes.

 She countered that she was just a student. How could she afford nest boxes? I chided her that I hadn't mentioned Selling them to her. She told me where she lived ~ I wasn't familiar with the place. I muttered something about her having to come down and get me. 

We'd reached town. I got out. Thought no more of it. Being in a motor, of course, I'd barely even glanced at her the whole time and she was watching the road.



  Few weeks back now, I'm standing on a pile of stones outside Pat's place. I'm intently watching some birds in his farm yard. This boxy little motor pulls up and a woman gets out.

 She's chattering away to me about some kestrels, nesting in a coach station. Coach station in the town where she's attending college ..... I realise this is the lady who'd given me a lift, and a run for my verbal money and even probed my strength of character, that time.

  And, as she's talking away, mentioning even as she did, that she's on her way to a funeral, and in a rush ..... I'm starting to notice what lovely eyes she actually has!

 I don't mind admitting; That got my attention. I'm a bugger for eyes and she's got really nice ones. And, yes; I've thought about her, once or twice, since then. Not unfavourably either.



   So, today, I'm trying to thumb a lift into town again. And a boxy little motor with a lady driver pulls up, on the opposite side of the road. Coming back from town.

 What are you up to? She asks. I say I'm trying to get into town. " Don't look at me. " She says. " I'm just coming back from there! " I liked that. That glint of spirit again. It was akin to that low growl in the throat of a Dog telling ye ye not going to take any liberties, yet.

 And we chatted, again. Me casually noting that, yes, she actually was really quite attractive! And I was slyly enjoying the banter. Her laughter, at my little witticisms came like the sound of a glass wind chime in a warn breeze. 

 Several motors passed along the quiet road, town bound. But, I really didn't feel the need to break away and stick my thumb out.

 Then she was asking if I knew where to find her. I confessed that, whilst I had an idea, it would be a bit of a haul for me ~ thinking how I'd be on foot and hauling nest boxes.

 I said she'd better come and get me. But, that tonight would be no good. I'd probably have had a few in town by then ..... More sound of wind chimes tinkling .....

 She said I could give her some ..... and said something vague about advice on nature and management ......

 I produced my note book and proudly announced that I even had a pen on me. She took them both and wrote .....

 I'm to give her a call, some time. She'd written her name, land line and mobile numbers.

  Then, she was gone. And I found myself reaching for my note book, to see what her name was. Thinking about our other little 'chance meetings'. Thinking about just how attractive I Really found her. About how these denims suddenly seemed a bit restricting .....

  Then, the penny dropped ..........