Going Two Ways at Once

In an earlier Post, we mentioned that Ruth and I had planned to follow routes around Europe which were subtly different, mine a simple, efficacious and economical circle and hers a time- and money-wasting figure-of-eight or perhaps a symbol of infinity, a sign that her journey would never end and never be complete. Whichever, we agreed on the figure-of-eight, a route which would see us travelling in opposite directions towards the same destination or maybe in the same direction towards opposite destinations. What is it the Chinese say about two people sleeping in the same bed, but they have different dreams? I was reminded of this contrariety when I tasted the Mazedonischer (FYR Macedonia) Rotwein we bought yesterday in a German discounter in Rűdesheim for under £1 a litre. As the populations of Eastern Europe, released at last from the Communist yoke (where did I read that?) are moving, as we and they hope, to a more prosperous and liberal future, we, Ruth and I, retired and freed from the habitual expectation of receiving ample pay for the work we have done, instead cease work, have our incomes slashed and travel to Eastern Europe in sharply reduced financial circumstances to visit countries heading in the opposite direction to ourselves. As they learn to live as we used to, we are learning to live as they used to. Who is learning what from whom? (The wine, optimistically, misleadingly, mischievously or ironically subtitled “Lieblich” = “Lovely”, was shit.)

ON REFLECTION

I have a new computer.
It is a laptop.
It has a flat glass screen.
It reflects my face.
I have a new computer and an old face.
Can it really be my computer?