#im looking at you person i follow whos having a tup day | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

qdtquietdownthere · 5 years

Text

Day 7- Cats and dogs and aerobics.

Day 7

I eat a Portuguese custard tart from the library this morning. I am becoming obsessed. Tell you what though, they've made me a local, a regular, and I am now at the point where the lady who runs the cafe says hi to me in the morning. I say hi back too of course. ( golden rules- become a regular)

Straight to exercise class with a Portuguese tart still in my upper belly. Its in the community centre that the lunch club was in, but this time its upstairs in an equally run down space. This makes is a safe space though, it is nothing too snazzy, too characteristic to make walking into an unknown class scary. Unlike a virgin active gym or one of these snazzy soho gyms this space is honest. Honest is inviting. It is for everyone.

The class is free and there is around 12 of us. Im told to wear comfy clothes so I am wearing a jumpsuit and a t-shirt. Bad call- I sweat profusely. It is a mixture of cardio strength and punching and dancing followed by a little yoga. We hold a plank position for 2 minutes on an off and I feel I am in some insane olympic boot camp. There is a range of fitnesses and our teacher (a local who knows everyones names) is encouraging and funny. I like being here and feel completely valid and welcome in whatever I am wearing and whatever my fitness. I speak to a lady after class who comes regularly and must be in her late 70’s. There is also a younger woman in the class who brings her little boy. He sits in the buggy and sometimes cries but it is not a problem. This relaxed atmosphere, no booking, no scary music, no ‘being late’ or issues about leaving early are a problem. It makes it accessible.

The class is women only and this is for religious reasons, Sahara tells me (the class teacher) after our 1hr session. We walk and talk about art and the area. She talks about Churchill gardens history and the history of Dolphin square.

So I head on over to Battersea towards the Dog and cat home. A different world. A free bicycle station is set up just before the bridge. Its funded by Westminster council and it makes me happy to see yet another free service. Again, it is approachable. I write on my phone as I walk, and as I walk over the bridge I look back over at Churchill gardens, with its amazing flats sticking out over the canopy of trees. It is oasis like. It seems to be cut off from the rest of the world.

The next section is from the notes on my phone:

Battersea bridge. A huge development across the water. Flats over the bridge are all a development. Flats with concierge and glass balconies. The area and walk to the cat home feels like a new pair of shoes which need to be worn in. I don't feel so comfortable here, its so clean that it feels a little dirty. I want to go back to Pimlico. They want to build a pedestrian bridge which will connect Battersea with Pimlico from Georges park. Pimlico is not happy with this…and the reasons? I have heard mixed opinions varying from who will it attract, will it bring crime, whats the point. More importantly the word ‘Waitrose' has also come up a few times. Elizabeth is keen to be able to cycle over and get to Waitrose, but a lady in my exercise class said that everything the community needs is on our doorstep (and how could we forget the number 24 bus which goes straight to the big Tesco) I notice that communities thrive in routine and comfort of the predictable. Don't we all? When I worked at the museum every day half way through my cycle home I would stop at one particular Sainsbury's express to get this one particular coconut chocolate bar thing. Creatures of habit and place. It is becoming more apparent how clear the boundaries of each estate and area are. Not in a hostile way. It is just common knowledge where people are from and where their street ends. So many times I have been told about roads or given direction with this confident presumption that i know each street by its name. This community is interwoven in its place.

I fight constantly between ideas on expansion and local. But people want to belong to a group and a group that works. whats happening in Tottenham is not happening in Westminster ( Local maybe wins this short tangent of a debate)

I am at Battersea dog and cat home. I eat another sweet treat and try to adopt a cat called Marley. It doesn't feel local here. I have an interview with a lady about my suitability to be a cat owner, during which I try to ask about the area and where the cats go/come but she tells me she cannot say as the work they do is so far reaching. Its nice though, and I fall involve with a big fat dog and a big cat fat. We would have all made a great family.

I walk home towards Pimlico, back along this major road but I duck into Battersea park, which is where I am writing from. The sun is on my laptop (I hope it doing combust) and a green parrot has just flow in front of me. I will stay here for a while thinking and writing and watching. I feel funny today, Its a bitty day. The schedule feels a little jolted, which it has never felt before. I think maybe it feels like this because i have left the area I have come to know. Its funny leaving it and entering new uncharted lands. Whenever i have done this by myself I do it on my bike. Walking is different. I can see why people don't leave Pimlico. Or why anyone doesn't leave their areas. Comfort and confidence.

I am now sat eating a curry in Pimlico Spice and I do not want to be here. I am the only person in the restaurant and I order something i would never order. The two young men serving me are probably wondering what I am doing by myself at 6pm eating a huge bowl of curry. I would never go out for dinner by myself. Eating lunch- fine. But dinner? Actually maybe it would be fine if there was at least one other person in this restaurant eating. Not just me. At 6pm. I am funny about food. Brought up with broccoli every night I don't like to eat unhealthy things. Food is something we have control over and I like eating what I like and know. Sat here with the two waiters awkwardly walking around me I feel on display. Food, new food, is a social thing. I should have a friend here, or anyone. I wouldn't think twice about it. I don't want to eat the food I have in particular but it was a chef special and I think it is time to branch away from a Saag Paneer. 2 groups of people come in, all for take away. Eating dinner in a restaurant by myself makes me feel so lonely. I want to go home now.

I am home and downstairs is a half eaten curry in tup a wear in the fridge. When I was on the tube I was worried it was going to spill everywhere, all over my lap and the floor and the seat, and everyone would know I am the girl who ate a sad curry by myself for my dinner.

1 note · View note