As I stepped out in the early morn’ …

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Feeling light and fluffy today, but solid as a slab of granite lying on the shore with young people sitting on me with a picnic and jumping into the sea to cool off from time to time then hauling themselves up on me to sit on me once more, this time with wet, salted bottoms, as they expect the sun to render them dry rather that having to trouble themselves with the use of a towel. I’ll never be one of those young people again and I’ll never laze away another summer on the Algerian shore, and nor will anyone else because such frivolity is now frowned upon and the beaches are over-built. But this is how I feel after stepping out for my daily constitutional through field and forest, wearing a black fedora (and a few other bits and pieces besides) and carrying my stout anti-dog poking device. The morning was wet and called for a black fedora, although the thick summer canopy of shiny green leaves kept the heaviest rain clear of me. The fields were a different matter, and since no-one else ventured forth I came across no ladies on my path so there was no need to doff my hat. I do like to doff.