Stumping Along Bravely

[poliphilo]

I dreamed I was on a group tour of Harlem- not Harlem, New York but Harlem, Holland- which in this version of it was a city of medieval buildings set among gardens. There was an old man in the group whose presence I resented because he had trouble walking and slowed us down and I was afraid we'd never get to see the Frans Hals Museum. "It's not fair of him to book onto a holiday like this," I said to myself, "and spoil everybody else's pleasure." Then I looked round and saw him, just behind me, stumping along bravely on the arm of his carer.