What Are You Thinking ?

“All the times you make me glad that I’m alive
Sharing together, helping me survive
What did you think, brought the sun out today?
Well it’s you, let me hear you sing”

Paul Weller

Long gone are the days when my Soulmate would turn to me and ask “What are you thinking ?” and I would, in all sincerity reply “Nothing.”.

In the olden days I could happily sit and watch a movie and become so engrossed in it that I would not, possibly could not think of anything else. Sometimes there didn’t even need to be a movie on , I could have some music playing and just sit absentminded , smiling.

The reply ‘Nothing’ never seemed to get an honest hearing. It always appeared that I must be thinking something and was simply holding it back. On the odd occasion huffs ensued.

But those were the olden days.

Now whenever my Soulmate asks “What are you thinking ?” there is ALWAYS an answer, but it is never the same answer twice.

This very evening, or last evening as you are reading this, I was indeed asked “What are you thinking ?” and I immediately replied “ I was thinking what you might say if I told you that I’d accidently bought a Dalek in an online auction for £9,000 ?”.

Since 3pm I’d been dipping in and out of an online auction by PropStore featuring lots of TV and Film memorabilia. I found it fascinating and amazing that people treated items like Harry Dean Stanton’s baseball cap from Alien as works of art, and were happy to pay accordingly. The baseball cap sold for £82,000 PLUS the buyers premium of 25%, so it cost over £100,000 !

Rutger Hauer’s leather coat from Bladerunner went for £187,000 !

A clapper board from a single episode of Breaking Bad , series 3, sold for £28,000 !

You get the idea.

I went out for a run.

Oh, did I tell you I’m back at the running ?

Last Saturday myself and Ray did our first run together since January. We started our Couch To 5K programme at Monaghan Parkrun. It was horrendously wonderful ! It only involved six actual mintutes of running , broken up into single minute blocks interspersed with 90 second walking intervals, and a very generous 5 minute warming up section, and an equally generous 5 minute cooling down section. It was painful. But we both enjoyed it. I felt 10 feet tall afterwards.

I did another run on Tuesday and a third one today. These were on my own, Ray was busy being the Mayor. On both of these runs I’ve marvelled at leaves, Robins, the river Muireann, Yew trees, red squirrels, other runners, my lungs, walkers, married couples who talk a lot, others that don’t talk at all, The Morrigan, my lungs, swans, people fishing, Connolly’s Corner, the colour of the sky, a baby Giant Redwood, my lungs, mobile reception, Spike, dogs, oaks, bits of my body that wobble, but probably shouldn’t , the sound of my feet running through fallen leaves, Priestfield Lake, paths not taken, people I miss, the joy of running, the joy of finishing…and my lungs…did I mention my lungs ?

It’s funny , well funny to me, how you can be preoccupied with many things, ailments, concerns, worries, and yet by the second or third stride of your run, you’re in a different place, thinking of different, wonderful things.

Hadn’t realised how much I’d missed it.

I went home and opened my laptop to see how the auction was progressing.

Whitney Houston’s ‘Hero Of The Night ‘ costume from The Bodyguard, £50,000.

The volleyball, Wilson, from castaway, a bargain at £65,000.

Bruce Lee’s double nunchakao from The Way Of The Dragon, a snip at £58,000.

There were some Dr.Who items coming up that I was curious to see. My laptop was on the kitchen island, Eileen was making tea , Elliott was mooching in the fridge, Pasta was looking for attention, and I was regaling them all with the bids as they came in for a yellow Dalek, and not just any old Dalek ,, no, this was a new Paradigm Dalek from series 5 with Matt Smith, my second favourite Doctor, ‘Victory Of The Daleks’.

£5,000 !

“That’s mad !” Elliott commented.

£7,000 !

“Crazy !” My Soulmate said over her shoulder as she stirred the curry.

£10,000 !

Isn’t this cool ? “No !” They both chimed.

£12,000 !

“What would you even do with it ?” My Soulmate asked.

I’d put it in the front hall, in the alcove beside the stairs so it could greet us as we came home.

“Over my dead body !” she exclaimed.

£!6,000 !

Too late now, someone else has got it.

“Best of luck to them.” Elliott said dismissively.

Next up was a Blue Dalex, known as The Strategist, from season 7 Matt Smith’s final season as the Doctor. The bidding opened at £4,500.

This one’s a bargain, only £4,500.

“We are not getting a Dalek !” My Soulmate said…unnecessarily harshly I felt.

My battery was running low, so I went to get my charger from my rucksack, and when I turned back, Pasta was sitting on the keyboard. I hooshed off and saw that the bidding was now £9,000…and I was the leading bidder…or technically Pasta was.

Emmm….

My Soulmate turned from her curry, she knew that ‘Emmm’ sound. It’s the sound I make when I think something is going to go wrong, or has gone wrong…and I’ve been the cause of it.