Shut In

I live in a village. I have a dog and I get out into the fields and lanes quite regularly, where I see other dog owners. That and using the village pub (when it was open) means I am familiar with other locals. Or at least I thought I was. Several weeks in to the lock down and on a daily basis I see people for the first time. A friend of mine is convinced that routinely some people never leave their homes and the surrounding country is terra incognito to them. Paradoxically it seems the ‘lock down’ is sending them out perhaps for the first time. Some look mildly bewildered, and seem unsure which way to go. There is an abandoned churchyard only about 200 yards from the centre of the village. This morning I noticed a couple (two more people I’d never seen before) standing and staring in obvious surprise at what they could see through the undergrowth. It’s quite strange that it has taken the present situation for some people to discover what lies five minutes walk from their homes.