Leggings – an opening game in Dereham.

Picture - taken Christmas 2016, larger tree this year, so far haven't taken any pics!

Last night I slipped out to pick up a few items in Dereham town centre. There are some shops open quite late. It was only around 18:30 and quite dark. It got lively as I reached Greggs corner, where a small group came rushing out chasing an older man with a stick. I was between the group of one man and his two female friends and the man that they were chasing.

The women were about average size and wore coats which reminded me of the 1950's waisted and fuller below the waist, tight around the bodice and arms. They had quite an aggressive stance and moved together , although with the man, they were more with each other. The man was also about average height, and wore a army style jacket loosly, he was a bit messy in his appearance. I didn't think he was army, really, yet I could have been wrong. He had an acidic tongue - and behind me he was already flooding words in my ears...

“Poor old thing!,” he said, “Poor old thing, can hardly walk can you? Look at him now, he's got plenty of benefits, plenty more than you've got, poor old thing! Don't you wish you had what he's got!”

I wasn't flattered. It plagued me that he had horrible intent. That perhaps I'd walked into a chase me – chase me gay game... which I didn't want to disturb, or enter. I'm not into spoiling other's fun. Only the look on the older man's face wasn't one of glee.

I let them move around me and then he turned to face me, as did the man they were chasing. He was quite bit older and stood awkwardly with a walking stick. He look scared. I was annoyed, it was an older person bashing night fest. I looked back at him. I felt he'd done the wrong thing, running.

The young man said, “Why don't you join in? You can run for us...”

What a plonker. I can't even walk fast. The guys a nutter. I kept eye contact with his victim. Then I said NO.

“You'lll get his kind of benefits,” the young man went on happily, “and when we catch you you'll get something nice!”

The two women laughed at that, and one said, “She won't believe it til it happens!”

I ignored him and let them walk away across the road, where I could hear them trying to talk to someone about why I wouldn't play their game. They seemed insulted by my refusal. Whoever it was - gave them a run down on who they thought I was... quite historical really... has her Majesty given her permission for this?

I half turned, felt a presence behind me and saw a man standing quietly with a very thin cane. He looked like a man from the concentration camp, so thin. So ill. Yet he had military bearing, and I wondered where he had come from. He didn't speak, stood back a bit.

I nodded to him – because he was a human - and turned to walk into the shop. I did my shopping. I went back. I've been wondering ever since whether the centre should be investigated by the Dereham Times whose intrepid explorers of the Truth.... could unveil this strange game playing....