Calling by ...

Calling by, why ever not?

Do you remember, before Covid, we used to pop in and visit each other? I recall hours of sitting around kitchen tables, sipping tea and chatting.  For me, the preferred time for this cheerful ritual, was Saturday mornings … not too early.

Last Saturday morning, as Moss and I walked back from the woods, I thought to myself, I domiss the gentle art of calling by.

As we walked along a muddy path, dodging the puddles, I decided, to call in on Margaret, my Sri Lankan friend.  She’s always up for a chat. 

I knocked on her door.  (I should add that Moss was fairly muddy, she’d had a good run in the woods.)

As I knocked, I could hear noises in the background, and happily Margaret opened the door.

We had a little chat, and I said to her,

“I've just called by for no reason whatsoever.”  

She told me that a dog just arrived to stay, so it wouldn't be convenient for Moss and me to go in.

Then she said,

“Why don't you text me next time?”

 and I said,

“No!  That's exactly the point; I'm calling by … you don't text first!”  

We laughed about it, and had a good doorstep conversation.  

Then off we went.

Moss and I walked further down the road.  I thought to myself, I know I'll go and visit my friend Beth, who is as nervous as a sparrow, and I haven't seen her since before Christmas.

 I knocked on her door and she said,

“How nice to see you!  But I can't invite you in because …”

Wait for it …

 “I'm cleaning the fridge!”

We had a chat.  I stayed in the garden with Moss.  It felt a bit like Covid times all over again.

Moss and I walked further down the road, on our way home. 

I could see the lights were on in our church and there were people buzzing about.  I went to the church door, and it was opened immediately by a fine young fellow who said,

“Hello”

The church was busy, with plenty of people I know.  I was careful not to let Moss jump up, because she was still muddy. 

In the background I could see our Rector speaking into a mike, apparently, everyone there was on a course. 

Before I knew it, I was being ushered out of the door by the Church Warden.  

I couldn’t help but ask, what the course was about. 

Without a moment’s hesitation, or any sense of irony, the Church Warden explained to me.  The subject of the course that Saturday morning was …

How to be a more welcoming church!

AJK