A Nature Walk

As they trod the familiar path together, she found herself being transported back in time...

-  JOANNE DUNCAN

Debbie, isn't it?" said the man on his own as the ramblers' group set off along a woodland path brimming with bluebells. "I'm Ron Higham. The leader said you'd be a good person to ask about membership and so on."

He smiled and Debbie was immediately reminded of another April morning, over sixty years ago, when her class had walked in a crocodile to an area known locally as The Spinney.

"Remember, children, you mustn't pick the bluebells," the teacher kept saying but Debbie and her companion had been far more interested in checking the pond for frogspawn. His name was Ronnie Higham.

"Weren't you at St Augustine's primary school in the late fifties?" she asked grown-up Ron. "My name was Debbie Taylor back then."

His eyes widened.

"I think I remember you too."

As an only child, Debbie hadn't come into contact much with other children.

Even when she'd started school, the teacher had seated her next to Michael Graham who, back then, scarcely ever opened his mouth. Not until the nature walk did she discover that there were actually boys you could talk to.

Each playtime, she and Ronnie would sit, deep in conversation, on the low wall that divided the school yard in half.