Working from home on a Wednesday morning and having no pressing reason to stay in bed, I got up early and took a walk around Stoneybatter. I needed to go to the shop for milk, but I went the long way around because if all you saw of Stoneybatter in the morning was Tesco on Prussia Street then you'd never leave your room. I walked down through the houses with Andrew, kissed him goodbye on Manor Street and then walked back up the hill, past the shuttered shops and the kids on scooters, headed for school. Prussia Street was quiet. There were three men sat on the cold ground outside the post office, waiting for it to open. "Hello there lady!" said one and he gave me a gubby smile. I said hiya and smiled back and his comrade dug him in the ribs with his elbow. "She likes you, she does! Oh, she likes you!" I could hear him hoot as I walked on towards the supermarket.
I was the only customer in the shop. I walked through the carpark on the way out rather than back by the post office. The three men waved, calling me over. I waved back and kept walking. I stopped at the lights to cross the road just as the man who drinks at the bus stop on Hanlon's Corner walked out in front of the traffic. He had his 2 litre bottle of Diet Coke in his hand and his beanie hat perched on the crown of his head, the same expression on his face as he does when I pass him at half five every evening and he shouts hello and asks if I'd like to smell his finger. The traffic slowed for him and I braced myself for conversation, but he just crossed and kept on going.
