Today was a public holiday and I spent my morning attending to little to-do’s around the house. A reward was in order - it was quite warm and sunny for a winter’s day, a good opportunity to get out. I knew exactly where I wanted to go - the other day I had been driving over the William Jolly Bridge looking longingly at the boardwalk along the river between South Brisbane and Southbank. Today was the perfect day for it – lots of people, lots of places to sit, the cityscape over the river to enjoy looking at.
I went alone. I could have hooked up with a friend, but actually, quite often I like alone. No one to check with. Free as a bird, which suited my mood. I spent a pleasant hour strolling between museums, along pathways, past buskers and entertainers, past coffee shops and grassy slopes filled with families and sunlovers.
At the far-point of my walk I sat in the sun on a low stone wall on the water’s edge, idly watching people queuing for the ferry, watching families bicycling with their children, watching lovers strolling with their arms linked. Then my eyes focused on a familiar shape: my friend! What a surprise! Her husband had spotted me (I almost never spot people even when I am looking for them – especially at airports – hopeless!). I felt an awkward moment of horror as I realised who it was and that I hadn’t made a single move to contact her since her wedding day, but all that was swept away when we sat and chatted about all the bits between then and now. She was gracious enough not to be offended, bless her (she had lost my number along the way when she had changed phones). We exchanged details and I said that we must have coffee soon.