Miss Marple is alive, not very well and living in Minehead.
So I set off with my walking pole and my camera, up to the Church Steps and noticed a figure dart out of a lane just as I was shooting. I was surprised to see him try a door opposite and then he went on up the steps. Intrigued I followed him and pretended to be looking at the view whenever he turned round. Along the road by the church is a terrace of cottages and he seemed to be trying all the doors.
There wasn’t a soul around but I could hear someone working and followed the road to the left until I saw a man working in the garden. I tried to attract his attention without raising my voice and finally he came close enough that I could whisper what I had seen. I rather hoped he would phone the police but he just thanked me and said he would keep his eyes open. Not very neighbour- hood -watch I thought.
By the time I got back on the road the figure had disappeared. My plan had been to go down to the harbour through a small wood and I wondered if that would be wise as the whole world seemed to have disappeared. But I did have my pole and if I removed the ferule it could be quite lethal (then I remembered where I had deposited the gum) and I did want to continue my walk and take photos. With any luck I would have a photo of the figure and I had noted that he was lanky, with a short hair cut and cut off trousers.
Heart in mouth I slowly descended to the esplanade and then my camera conked out. It’s not the batteries – they are new. I must get it seen to – I can’t live without my camera. Back home I was gently but soundly berated for taking risks. I phoned Margaret whose husband used to be head of neighbourhood watch. When I told her about the figure she said she had been out and seen a man with a rucksack delivering leaflets and I felt a bit of a wally. However when I looked closely at the photo there is no rucksack and there is a big difference to seeing someone deliver leaflets and someone trying doors.
Now I’ve published the photos and clicked on them I think my suspicions were justified.
Have a look and see what you think.
9 comments:
Maybe he has amnesia and is trying to find his home again.
He really does sound like a thief, if you ask me though.
GG: everybody is innocent until prove guilty but id 'aint lookin' good.
A hard one to call, but I would have to agree.. suspicious, very suspicious.
Pat, with the best will in the world, sweet lady, I too am going to gently but soundly berate you.
Stay well away from people acting as suspiciously as he was. You never know what doped-up yahoos you might be dealing with. Call the police, for sure, but don't go wandering off into woods by yourself on the trail of someone because, although your walking pole may be stout, you can bet a cornered lout who's up to no good has the fear and rage and motivation to snap it, and possibly you too.
Jimmy: well today I did something about it. More later.
Sam: I know and I will be careful. The police woman told me there is a tramp who lives in those woods but he is harmless but I did try to keep a distance from the other and lost him in the end.
I would have continued with the walk too because I wouldn't want to end up being too afraid to do anything, and it feels like a slippery slope. No doubt I'll end up in a sorry state one day for risking my safety, but I like to think the risks I take are calculated. If this chap was looking for a house to rob he was probably after bigger bucks than the average person carries on them, so it's unlikely that he would have harmed you: burglars and violent attackers are different aren't they?
Or he is from a rival double glazing firm trying remove the leaflets posted earlier by Everest, thus depriving them of their carefully targeted mailshot?
Majoritarian belief? Guilty.
~Mary
Eryl: I was just afraid that he had seen me take a photo and could have smashed my camera and possibly me. My guess is an opportunist thief - possibly drug fuelled, when anything can happen.
Rashbre: admirable theory my dear Watson, but his hands appeared to be quite empty.
Frank and Mary: you may well be right.
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