Practical Time

 
Day 2
Session 4

 
    The birds were singing their morning chorus when I awoke to hear someone moving around the house. It took me a few moments to remember I was in the caravan and that it was Stanley I could hear in the kitchen next door, running the water and lighting the gas.

I groaned as I staggered to the bathroom to shower and dress. It was just past seven.

‘Good morning Abby,’ his voice was unusually bright and cheerful as I appeared yawning in the doorway. He was obviously taking his duties very seriously. I smiled a silent greeting as I sat down and yawned again. He presented me with a steaming mug of sweet, black coffee which I gulped gratefully.

He wandered outside with his mug of tea and packet of cigarettes.

The sun was streaming through the little window and the bird song engulfed me. I stretched my feet out under the table in the little dining area and sighed contentedly. It was a beautiful place to be, better than working. I savoured the moment, closed my eyes and extended my awareness as I had been taught to do yesterday. Stanley returned quietly and seated himself on the bench opposite.

‘Fancy a walk?’ he enquired when I opened my eyes.

I nodded my agreement and stood up. ‘It will be nice to stretch my legs before we start.’

He smiled. ‘It’s going to be a busy day today.’

‘No different to yesterday then,’ I grinned.

Betty was sitting in her grey Vauxhall Astra when we returned from our walk at quarter to nine.

‘Hi both, lovely morning.’

‘Yes, isn’t it?’ I agreed.

‘Glad you could join us Bett.’

‘Well, I didn’t want to miss anything after yesterday,’ Betty laughed. ‘I think poor June was out of her depth.’

‘June was out of her depth! She wasn’t the only one, so was I and I had no excuse, I was present the whole time.’

‘Were you really? I’m pleased to hear that,’ Stanley couldn’t resist the jibe at me.

‘Well you’re on form Stanley so early in the morning,’ Betty approved.

‘Indeed I am.’

We all laughed and hugged each other before making our way into the caravan.

Betty and I settled ourselves into the bench seats and Stanley stood in front of us as usual. At precisely nine o’clock he began.

‘Greetings.’

He gave the little bow we had come to expect from Ti Ming.

‘Greetings friend,’ Betty replied.

I merely bowed in return.

‘The subject of this session is entitled Practical Time. It is called Practical time because it is time that can be used. It has a positive application.’

I duly wrote it all down on my notepad, pleased that he had actually given us a definition without trying to tease it out of us bit by bit. Perhaps he was starting to grasp the principles of teaching, or was it because Betty was there?

 
Practical Time
Practical Time can be Used
It has a positive application

 
    ‘What do you mean it can be used?’ I wanted to know.

‘Good question Abby. Betty have you got any ideas?’

‘Use it to get things done, to be ahead of yourself?’ Betty replied.

‘I like that,’ Stanley smiled encouragingly. ‘Tell me, how can you be ahead of yourself exactly?’

‘Well, if you’ve allowed two hours to do something, say cleaning the house, you finish in one and a half hours. You’ve got half an hour to spare.’

‘And what would you do with that half an hour Betty?’

She shrugged. ‘I don’t know. Take a break, have a coffee perhaps?’

Stanley laughed. ‘If that was a hint Betty, I’m sorry, but you’ll have to wait until after this session. You may have some water though,’ he indicated the water jug and glasses I had placed on the draining board.

She shook her head. ‘No, I’m fine, but coffee would have been nice,’ she admitted.

‘Apart from drinking coffee, what else could you do with the half hour you’d saved?’ Stanley looked round at me. ‘Abby?’

‘Well, anything you liked,’ I answered puzzled that he was making a big thing of it.’

‘Betty?’ he looked hopeful.

‘You could save it,’ she replied thoughtfully.

‘Save it. Yes. Well done Bett.’

‘I don’t understand,’ I objected, ‘we’ve already said we could save it.’

‘Save as in bank it,’ Betty explained.