A mixture of mallards, coots, shelducks and moorhens were milling about at the water’s edge; some standing in the shallows, some lightly afloat, others toddling about on dry land. Also two bloody great mute swans, possibly dangerous, swelling, hissing, bridling, and generally threatening anyone silly enough to presume that a handful of bread was enough to earn their gratitude and trust. Beside these graceful thugs, the practical little coots, treading purposefully on clown-sized feet, had the greater perspective, and more wit.
My grandson, Oscar, and I sat down on one of the four benches provided by the parish council. The freshwater lake stretched away before us: cloudless blue sky above. The unseasonable warmth was stoking the water fowl into a frenzy of courtship, nest building and squabbles. Clouds of midges were out, too, as though we were in high summer already.
The other three benches were occupied by elderly day trippers on a coach tour of coast and villages from one of the big Torquay hotels. I could tell by their clean shoes, their colour co-ordinated clothes, and their delightfully modest air of being en fête. Occasionally one or other of them, surprised by the insolence and persistence of these midges, was driven to flapping a retributive hand at them. Clearly no one had warned them of the tenacity of the local midges when they’d assembled earlier on their Torquay hotel forecourts.
These trippers had smiled gladly at us as we sat down. They’d liked us immediately. If I’d greeted them they’d have greeted me back with knobs on. And as usual Oscar’s blond curls and surly expression had won the women over from the moment they clapped eyes on him. They liked us above all though, I think, because we weren’t above sharing their simple pleasure of sitting on a bench on a sunny afternoon and looking at the ducks.
Comments
Join the debate for just £1 a month
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for £3.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just £1 a monthAlready a subscriber? Log in